GROUNDHOG DAY is a classic comedy of 1993 that goes to show that the best premises are the simple ones. Bill Murray is perfectly cast as a jerk of a local TV weatherman who finds himself forced to live the same mundane day over and over again. I was partly dreading this because of the focus on his romance with Andie MacDowell, fearing another vomit-inducing film in the style of FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, but I needn't have worried. MacDowell is very good here (although the film belongs to Murray) and the romance handled sensitively. However, it's much more than just a romance. It's a film which explores the human condition and has a lesson for both Murray and the viewers in how to treat people. It's funny rather than preachy, and comes across in a very similar fashion to IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE except with many more laugh-out-loud moments.

Groundhog Day is a wonderful movie. Essentially it is a one-joke comedy, but what makes Groundhog Day so delightful is that whereas it could have been derivative and predictable, the film is always full of life and full to the brim with fresh ideas. The script is a delight, always funny, quotable and witty, while the story has a surprisingly refreshing concept and several great scenes.

The cinematography is beautiful, and the locations and production values are consistently striking. Also Harold Ramis's direction is excellent, the pace rarely lags and all the characters are credible. The acting is wonderful too, and by far one of the best assets of this film. Bill Murray gives one of the best performances of his career, Stephen Tabolowsky gives a superb turn as the nerdy insurance salesman and the lovely Andie McDowell has never been better.

In conclusion, a delightful film that works on all levels. 10/10 Bethany Cox

While GROUNDHOG DAY is not my favorite Bill Murray comedy, it is one of three brilliant comedies he made during the early 90s and all three are absolute must-sees. And, interestingly enough, while the film is very funny, it also has some wonderful and poignant moments--something I usually hate in comedies.

The plot is pretty simple. Murray plays a jerk or a TV weather man who is sent against his will to cover the annual festivities concerning America's second favorite rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, as he tells us whether or not we'll have a long, hard winter (a very stupid tradition if you ask me). Naturally after having done this repeated times he's less than thrilled, but there's more to it than that--Murray is a nasty jerk and he delights in looking down on all the locals that take such pride in this event. Apparently, the fate is not happy with Murray, as he is oddly punished and made to repeat this same day again and again and again. Why exactly is unknown but his reactions to this exact same day are priceless--ranging from insanely funny to weird to touching.

In addition to Murray's excellent performance, Andi McDowell does a good job in support and the film makers really did a wonderful job of capturing the wacky essence of small town America as well as creating a wonderful and quirky script.

This film is terrific--you must see this film...now!