Bill Murray at his best

Rating: 9/10 (8 May 2000)

I've always liked Bill Murray, especially as the egotistical-but-lovable guy he plays in just about everything he's ever done (but most notably, in Meatballs, Stripes and Ghostbusters). But he takes it to a higher level in Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day," owing to a fantastic script which perfectly executes the story's clever premise, and makes perfect use of the Lovable Jerk persona as a springboard for a real character-driven story. I can't imagine the movie being done with another actor in the lead role, and that is, I think, one of the more remarkable things about it. Everything, including the casting, fits together so well.
The premise of living out the same day over and over again is a very "high" concept, but ironically, the story works because the characters are so believable. Not many comedies would have its hero try to commit suicide over and over again, only to wake up alive, saying, "Ah, nuts."
Even the usually unbearably bland Andie Macdowell is a three-dimensional, charming and believable foil/love interest. I credit Ramis and Murray for bringing out the best in her. While I'm being superlative, let me go on record to say that the film's big comic payoff, when Phil tries to get Rita (Macdowell) into bed through what must be months of conversational scheming, is one of the funniest 15 minutes in film history.
I would call this the most underrated comedy of the 90's, if it wasn't on TV so damn much. But I watch it every time it is, and I still marvel at how close it is to perfection.