Star rating: 3 out of 5

Rating: 5/10 (4 January 2003)

Groundhog Day has a great deal of potential, but ultimately fails to live up to its promise. It isn't the concept that falls short; on the contrary, the plot is entertainingly original. Self-centred reporter Phil Connors aims to leave Pennsylvanian backwater Punxsutawney as soon as possible after completing a story on the annual Groundhog Day Festival, but his plans are thwarted when he wakes the following morning and discovers that it's Groundhog Day again. . . . . . . . . . and again. . . . . . . . . Initially he sees this turn of events as akin to a nightmare, but soon realises that if there's no tomorrow, there are no hangovers and no consequences. . . . .. . . . .
A storyline like this is very amusing per se, and there are some deft touches - such as Phil's audacious money-van heist, which succeeds simply because after innumerable Groundhog Days in succession, he knows Punxsutawney's routines so well. Due to the inherent comedy Bill Murray's wisecracking attempts as Phil are unnecessary, they don't fit well with his character, and frankly someone making a face like a groundhog isn't that funny the first time, let alone meriting repetition.
Although this is a comedy there are some genuinely thought-provoking issues raised - Phil learns (and through him we realise) that spontaneity can never be choreographed, and an impulsive moment's beauty lies in the fact that it 'just happens'. The film's biggest downfall is its predictability. Despite the various entertaining shenanigans en route, we just know that in the end Phil will have learned some Valuable Lessons and become a Nice Guy.
Overall though, Groundhog Day is a likeable movie, and would leave the viewer with a much greater sense of satisfaction had it - instead of showing the happy couple running hand-in-hand through the freshly fallen snow - used a less trite finale.