Very enjoyable comedy that is totally driven by a great Bill Murray

Rating: Null/10 (29 June 2002)

Weather man Phil goes to a small village in Western Pennsylvania to cover the start of spring on Groundhog Day. Despite his cynical approach to the whole thing he gets through the day but gets trapped in the town by a blizzard. However he finds that he is doomed to repeat the same day over and over again bringing him out in a series of reactions until he can work out what he is meant to learn.
The premises sounds silly  who would want to watch the same day over and over again? Even if it is a comedy? However with Harold Ramis in control this easily becomes something better than it sounds. The plot may be a sentimental thing at the end of the day but since the plot is simple it leaves a lot of space for things to repeat. The message when it comes is good  about becoming a better person and learning to care for others being the most important stage.
The key to the film however is the space where things just repeat. This leaves Bill Murray plenty of time to let his sarcastic wit run riot  whether it be cruel as at the start or more gentle towards the end. His impact on the film is immeasurable. Unless you hate him then he makes the whole film work.
The rest of the cast is made up of plenty of well-known faces from similar comedy films. Andie MacDowell may not have been the best choice for a love interest but she's actually not too bad compared to how vapid she can be. The rest of the cast has the likes of Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Doyle-Murphy etc  a whole pile of `where have I seen him before' types.

Overall this is a very enjoyable comedy from a good director and great star. The film is a good idea but it is totally brought to life by a wonderful performance by Murray. The film may well be a slight comedy at heart but it is very enjoyable.