Groundhog Day is about living the same day, over and over. Phil (Bill Murray) is a weatherman sent to Punxsutawney for the fourth consecutive year to cover the annual groundhog festival. After doing a barely acceptable job as a reporter, he is ready to go home, but instead is stopped by a snowstorm. When he wakes up the second morning, and every morning after that, he is forced to experience Groundhog Day. Understanding that he can do anything without repercussions, Phil engages in unhealthy activities. After learning some valuable life lessons and the importance of being genuine, Phil is finally allowed to progress to the day after Groundhog Day (IMDb, 2016).

On the surface, Groundhog Day seems like a simple comedy with a simple plot and message. It is, however, a deeply philosophical movie centered around the process of grief and loss. Through the timeline of the movie, Phil moves through the five stages of grief as outlined by Kübler-Ross in 1969. From a logotherapy perspective, Phil creates meaning in his life. This film could be useful for counselors learning about grief and loss stages and existential struggles. Keep in mind that the movie does portray multiple suicide attempts. As always, use your judgment to determine if this film might help or hinder your learning process as a counselor or counselor-in-training.

Reference:
IMDb (2016). Groundhog day: Plot summary. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl