Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day is a heartwarming comedy classic, but one popular fan theory makes it seem much darker. Groundhog Day is one of Bill Murray’s best movies, as he gets to showcase his ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan comedy skills while also injecting a lot of pathos into the character of Phil Connors. Andie MacDowell also shines as Phil’s love interest, Rita Hanson.
Groundhog Day didn’t invent the time-loop subgenre of sci-fi, but it did perfect it, and it has since become the yardstick by which other similar movies are measured. It works so well because the script breaks a lot of the conventional rules of screenwriting in intelligent ways that make the story feel completely unpredictable.
While Groundhog Day‘s ending evokes a feeling of euphoria, there are plenty of dark moments throughout the movie. In the depths of his depression, Phil attempts to take his own life multiple times in the hope of breaking free from his peculiar purgatory. However, one fan theory would make the ending feel even darker.
The “Ned Ryerson Is The Devil” Theory Explained
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As Phil repeats the same day over and over again, he has the displeasure of bumping into Ned Ryerson every day. Ned claims to be one of Phil’s old high school acquaintances, although Phil clearly has no recollection of him. Ned then tries to sell Phil a life insurance policy, before laughing at Phil as he steps into a deep puddle.
One popular fan theory posits that Ned Ryerson is actually the devil, and he traps Phil in a time loop until he eventually signs a “life insurance contract“, although this document is really a contract for his soul or some other demonic trick. This helps explain some of the mysteries that surround Ned.
The Ned Ryerson is never confirmed in Groundhog Day, but there is some interesting evidence to back it up. First is the simple idea that Phil’s time loop is never explained in depth, so who’s to say that the devil isn’t really pulling the strings? Other evidence can be seen in Ned’s strange interaction with Phil.
Phil seems to have no idea who Ned is, which opens up the possibility that they never even attended the same high school. Ned’s cruel laugh when Phil steps in the puddle is also suspicious for an alleged friend, especially one who wants to get into Phil’s good graces so that he can sell him insurance.
The Ned Ryerson Theory Turns Groundhog Day’s Happy Ending Into A Sad One
Phil Might Have Inadvertently Signed His Life Away
The ending of Groundhog Day demonstrates the culmination of Phil’s dramatic character change. Not only does he prove himself to Rita, but he has friends all over the town of Punxsutawney. Phil originally despairs his situation, but he begins to treat it like a superpower, because he knows what everyone in the town needs and he can help them.
When Phil wakes up to a new day for the first time, it’s a moment of huge triumph. However, if the Ned Ryerson theory is true, then Phil’s feeling of being free won’t last for very long. He may be out of the time loop, but he has signed a Faustian deal with the devil, and there’s no telling what that could entail.
The Ned Ryerson theory suggests that Phil’s happy ending is merely a false dawn. Perhaps it means that his soul will suffer eternal damnation after his death. A more ironic twist would be to trap Phil in another time loop immediately after the first, or to end his life after he gets to experience just one more day of freedom.
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The only reason that theories like these are even possible is because Groundhog Day leaves its mechanics open to interpretation. It’s a work of pure fantasy, in which the audience is expected to suspend their disbelief without trying too hard to peek behind the curtain and discover the real workings of the time loop.
A lot of other movies might have tied themselves in knots to try and explain exactly how Phil gets trapped and what he needs to do to escape. Groundhog Day pays no mind to these details. It merely uses its premise as a convenient excuse to explore Phil’s character in depth and have a few laughs as it does.
A lot of other movies might have tied themselves in knots to try and explain exactly how Phil gets trapped and what he needs to do to escape.
The fact that the audience never fully comprehends the rules of Groundhog Day means that they can experience the same feelings of intrigue and bewilderment as Phil does. It also means that there’s no end in sight, which creates a sense of monotony. This is torture for Phil, but it works as a darkly hilarious running joke for the audience.
Ultimately, there’s no way to know if Ned Ryerson really is the devil, because there’s no way to know much of anything in Groundhog Day. It’s a bold film that asks the audience to surrender themselves to the experience, and it has the charm and intelligence to make it a worthwhile ride.
