Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell star in this delightful Harold Ramis romantic comedy.

Rating: 9/10 (15 March 2016)

Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell star in this delightful Harold Ramis romantic comedy. Murray plays Phil, an egotistical and shallow TV weatherman presenter, sent to report on Groundhog Day with Rita (MacDowell) as the producer, and cameraman, Larry (Chris Elliott).
Stranded by an unexpected blizzard, Phil wakes up each morning to the same day, over and over. Phil sees this as an opportunity to enjoy himself at the expense of those around him, but as he becomes aware of his growing affection for Rita , and her dislike of him, he grows to understand that there is much more to life than the superficiality of his earlier shallow existence. In doing so, he changes into a much warmer and kinder individual, and finds life treating him very differently, now that he is behaving to others differently.
It's a fairy-tale of sorts. Beautifully played by both leads, it's full of charm. However, at it's core is a delicious performance by Murray finding nuance and humour in almost every line. The gradual transformation is well served by an intelligent script, ensuring that repeating scenes always have something fresh to offer.
It's a serious comedy. Murray's dramatic depth is required too, particularly in scenes with an old man. Murray's comic abilities were never to be doubted, but here he does much more than make us laugh. It's possibly his finest ever performance.
It's a film full of hope for all of us, and it deals with some of the biggest issues. A lovely film.