‘Groundhog Day’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Issa Rae
May 7, 2020 · Groundhog Day (1993) · Comedy · Drama · Fantasy · 1:29:34 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsPhil getting every Jeopardy answer right followed by his on-camera rant about Groundhog Day and destroying the alarm clock sequence▶ 34:50
Issa RaeHighlighted Phil's efforts to help the homeless man and realizing some things are inevitable, which fueled his depression▶ 37:38
Sean FennesseyPraised the montage of Phil getting slapped after failed seduction attempts, transitioning into deep depression and suicide attempts▶ 36:36
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsThey never explore why Phil didn't just stay up all night - what happens if you stay up till 6:01 a.m.? Does it go to the next day or does your body naturally shut down?▶ 52:27
Sean FennesseyThere's no logical explanation for anything in the movie - we never understand why he goes into the time loop or how it works, but you have to think of it as a fantasy like It's a Wonderful Life▶ 53:19
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsStephen Tobolowsky — Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson) - suggests changing the award name to 'The Stephen Tobolowsky Award'▶ 56:02
Sean FennesseyStephen Tobolowsky — Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson) - calls it his 'Lincoln Memorial' performance, stands alone in the hall of fame for 'that guys'▶ 56:31
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsBill Hicks — Bill Hicks for Rick Ducamin's role, or a bigger actor - mentions Randy Quaid as the type of role but notes he'd done it too many times▶ 59:10
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsBill Murray and groundhogs - the greatest connection of an actor and an animal ever, appearing in two iconic groundhog movies▶ 1:00:21
Sean FennesseyThe religious interpretations across multiple faiths make it transcendent - Christianity sees it as purgatory leading to heaven▶ 1:05:28
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsAndie MacDowell — Yes for Andy MacDowell - this is her apex mountain, though he acknowledges Sex, Lies and Videotape was her best performance. Also discusses 'I Got You Babe' as belated apex mountain for Sonny and Cher through this movie.▶ 1:09:22
Sean FennesseyHarold Ramis — Agrees this is likely Harold Ramis's apex mountain - the culmination of his great run and gets people to take him more seriously as a director. Discusses how the movie's accessibility helps its lasting power.▶ 1:14:41
Best Quote
Sean FennesseyI was in the Virgin Islands once I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank pina coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over?▶ 1:21:28
Who Won the Movie
Sean FennesseyBill Murray — Bill Murray - calls it the pivotal role of the back half of his career▶ 1:24:19
Movies Referenced (31)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghostbusters (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Issa Rae | ▶ 6:12 |
| Drive Angry (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 2:27 |
| Lost in Translation (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:48 |
| Philadelphia (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:26:49 |
| Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 41:32 |
| Rushmore (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 12:12 |
| The Fugitive (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:26:39 |
| Crimson Tide (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Issa Rae | ▶ 1:29:15 |
| Happy Death Day (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:02 |
| National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:07:24 |
| Schindler's List (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:26:37 |
| The Remains of the Day (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:26:39 |
Directors Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Issa Rae | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 2:51 |
| Jim Jarmusch | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Broken Flowers | ▶ 12:59 |
| Chris Corner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Saint, Open Your Eyes | ▶ 1:02:11 |
| Ivan Reitman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Up in the Air, Ghostbusters | ▶ 1:17:28 |
| John Hughes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club | ▶ 1:17:39 |
| Sofia Coppola | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Godfather Part III, The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation | ▶ 12:59 |
| Tim Burton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Edward Scissorhands | ▶ 12:55 |
| Wes Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Royal Tenenbaums, Isle of Dogs | ▶ 12:58 |
Actors Referenced (35)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Murray | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 63 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Issa Rae | Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom | ▶ 2:17 |
| Eddie Murphy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Issa Rae | The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 39:05 |
| Ann Ryerson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Minority Report, Caddyshack | ▶ 16:08 |
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Issa Rae | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 39:06 |
| Stephen Tobolowsky | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Groundhog Day, Wild Hogs | ▶ 56:02 |
| White Lies | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 41:22 | |
| Chris Elliott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Groundhog Day, There's Something About Mary, The Abyss | ▶ 51:49 |
| Vincent Hanna | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 58:19 | |
| Michael Keaton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Spotlight, The Founder | ▶ 39:29 |
| Susan Sarandon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Dead Man Walking | ▶ 43:34 |
| Tori Amos | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Twister, Virtuosity | ▶ 40:53 |
| Bill Russell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:22:01 |
Writers Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harold Ramis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 29 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Stripes | ▶ 8:46 |
| Danny Rubin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Groundhog Day | ▶ 9:08 |
| Brian Koppelman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Runaway Jury, Michael Clayton | ▶ 1:24 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 22:17 | |
| Judd Apatow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The King of Staten Island, Knocked Up | ▶ 1:16:43 |
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 24:25 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Hearns | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Incredible Hulk | ▶ 1:14:33 |