Bill Murray

Andie MacDowell

Chris Elliott

Stephen Tobolowsky

Brian Doyle-Murray

Marita Geraghty

Angela Paton

Rick Ducommun

Rick Overton

Robin Duke

Carol Bivins

Willie Garson

Ken Hudson Campbell

Les Podewell

Rod Sell

Tom Milanovich

John M. Watson Sr.

Peggy Roeder

Harold Ramis

David Pasquesi

Lee Sellars

Chet Dubowski

C.O. Erickson

Sandy Maschmeyer

Leighanne O'Neil

Evangeline Binkley

Samuel Mages

Ben Zwick

Hynden Walch

Michael Shannon

Timothy Hendrickson

Martha Webster

Angela Gollan

Shaun Chaiyabhat

Dianne B. Shaw

Barbara Ann Grimes

Ann Heekin

Lucina Paquet

Brenda Pickleman

Amy Murdoch

Eric Saiet

Lindsay Albert

Roger Adler

Ben A. Fish

Don Riozz McNichols

Brian Willig

Richard Henzel

Rob Riley

Tony DeGuide

Reni Santoni

Trevor Albert

John Bailey

George Fenton

Howard Feuer

Pembroke J. Herring

Peter Landsdown Smith

Lisa Fischer

Tom Ryba

Cindy Marty

George H. Anderson

Mary Andrews

Danny Rubin

Steve Boyum

Glory Fioramonti

Whitney White

Deborah K. Dee

Rick LeFevour

David Nichols

Jennifer Butler

Dorothy J. Pearl

Jeff Atmajian

Sergio Reyes

Gunnar Swanson

Emanuel Millar

Art Anthony

James Lacey

Rick Lazzarini

Michael Butler

Patrick Caulfield

Julie Glick

George DiLeonardi

Judi Townsend

Tony Ciccone

Louis Goldman

James J. Murakami

Sharon Boyle

Michael Haley

John L. Roman

Gary Baugh

Craig Herring

Lin Coleman

Michael Stone

Peter Kuttner

Beth Cotter

Linda Gacsko

Mike Moyer

Morgan Michael Lewis

Sam Hoffman

Cyd Adams

Alecia LaRue

George Kohut

James Blanford

Linda Perlin

Nicole Arbusto

Jane Brody

Dana Sano

Romance

Fantasy

Comedy

Groundhog Day

Columbia Pictures

United States of America

CinemaSerf

“Phil” (Bill Murray) is one of those local television personalities who has delusions of grandeur. He thinks himself way more significant than he is as he is frequently acknowledged by the little man who thinks he’s wonderful as he huffs and he puffs the storms away on screen. For the fourth year in succession, he is to do a quick link from a small town that delights in consulting a ground-hog every year for signs of spring. This year, it suggests six more weeks of winter but that is just the start of of the problems for our cynical forecaster as he, his producer “Rita” (Andi McDowell) and cameraman “Larry” (Chris Elliott) find that a snow-induced accident is preventing them getting home. What’s one more night in his B&B, eh? Except, he awakens next morning and is immediately hit by an unnerving déjà-vu! He meets the same people and witnesses the same ceremony. What is going on? His team think he’s just under a bit of stress - but by day eight of this repetitive scenario he is beginning to lose the plot. Now if you were given the same day over and over again, what might you do? Turn to drink? Try to better yourself? Do some daft stuff that you know couldn’t hurt you for long? Help some folk? Fall in love? Well it’s safe to say that “Phil” ends up having a go at many of these options - but which, if any, will break this spell and set him free? There isn’t an whole load of jeopardy with the story arc, here, but it’s the escapades of the fractious, the frustrated then the more stoic “Phil” that entertains and Murray is at his best. Scathing and pompous becomes something altogether unexpected as his predicament takes it’s toll and opens his mind and his eyes. McDowell does just about enough though she doesn’t really add so very much but Elliott makes more of his smaller part as the team boffin in whom “Phil” has precisely zero interest. It also takes quite an humorous swipe at many things suburban. The community of the cheery and the well-meaning, the cheesy and the pathetic. These traits are all exposed to some of the spotlight here as our disgruntled visitor has plenty of time to explore more fully a town that we can all recognise, appreciate and ridicule. It’s not really laugh out loud, no, and at times the punchlines are telegraphed on ahead a bit, but it holds together well and has a certain “A Christmas Carol” sentiment to it. If you like your humour sophisticated, then look elsewhere. If not, then this is good fun.

‬⁩‬⁩Groundhog Day is one of those movies that never really gets old, no matter how many times you watch it. The premise is simple yet brilliant, a man finds himself reliving the same day over and over, but what makes it so engaging is how well the story unfolds. The pacing is solid, with a decent start that smoothly transitions into the second act, keeping things interesting without dragging. The buildup leads to a heartwarming and satisfying climax that feels well-earned rather than forced.

Bill Murray absolutely owns this role, delivering a performance that perfectly balances sarcasm, frustration, and subtle character growth. His comedic timing is spot-on, making the humor feel natural rather than overacted. Andie MacDowell is a great counterpart, bringing warmth and sincerity to the screen, while the supporting cast adds to the charm without feeling like background noise. The script is sharp, filled with witty dialogue and comedic moments that don’t rely on cheap gags. It’s a rare comedy that manages to be both entertaining and meaningful without losing its fun.

The directing by Harold Ramis is excellent, keeping the repetition from feeling repetitive. Each cycle through the day is presented with enough variation and energy to keep the audience engaged. Cinematography isn’t flashy, but it does what it needs to, capturing the small-town setting with just the right balance of warmth and dreariness, depending on the mood of the scene. The framing and editing make the time loop feel seamless rather than repetitive, which is key for a movie like this.

The score complements the film well, though it’s not the kind of soundtrack you’d find yourself listening to on its own. It enhances the mood, subtly shifting as the story progresses. Sound design also plays a crucial role, reinforcing the sense of déjà vu without making it tiresome. Overall, Groundhog Day is a well-crafted movie that blends comedy, heart, and an engaging story into something truly timeless. It’s the kind of film that reminds you why some classics stay relevant, and honestly, I miss seeing more movies like this today.

_**Going ’round and ’round the mountain with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell**_

A curmudgeonly weather reporter from Pittsburgh (Bill Murray) has to report on the Groundhog Day festivities at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for the fifth year in a row. He soon finds himself in some kind of strange time warp. Andie MacDowell plays a new producer for the network who joins him on the trek, along with Chris Elliott as the cameraman.

“Groundhog Day” (1993) is a dramedy/fantasy with some romance about a person who has lost the joy of living and become a cranky, arrogant jerk. Is he too far gone to change? The movie’s equal parts amusing and profound. The theme revolves around getting stuck in a rut in life and desperately trying to find the way OUT. Meanwhile the woodchuck is cute.   

Beyond MacDowell on the female front, Marita Geraghty plays a potential date for Murray’s character; you might remember her from the Seinfeld episode “The Big Salad” as Margaret.  But it’s the stunning Sandy Maschmeyer as his ‘French Maid’ date at the theater that steals the show in a brief scene.

The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in Woodstock, Illinois, which is just northwest of Chicago, and points nearby: Algonquin (opening scene), Rockford (quarry), Waukegan and Cary (interiors). Some stuff was done in the backlot of Universal Studios, along with establishing shots of Pittsburgh.

GRADE: B-

Kamurai

Fantastic watch, will watch again, and do recommend.

Bill Murray carries this time-shift-loop adventure in hilarious form.  The writing is excellent with a "redeemable protagonist" trope mixed in.

The movie is creative with it's divergent time lines and even manages to maintain proper story arcs as Phil continues to loop.

The supporting cast is wonderful in each of their roles, and manage to do repeat acting excellently.

This was a popularizing (if not a birth) to a genre, everyone should have watched this movie at some point.

**The Future is Not a Given**

_Groundhog Day_ sets out to accomplish the inconceivable, where few comedies, or movies of any kind, or art forms of any device dare to tread. It is determined to ultimately answer: How does one find true happiness. The kind of baby that might have been hatched by crossing Woody Allen and Dali Lama. What's truly amazing is that it pretty well achieves this without being pretentious or portentous. Its humble, pedestrian style coincides with it's charitable message. Furthermore, it's a riot!

What do you do when the snowstorm of life traps you into a place you don't want to be? Self-destructive anarchy is an option: drinking, stealing, screwing, lying, joyriding and suicide. But this is a big storm so long-term solutions are required. The good news if you're lonely and unhappy? You probably have more time to dedicate to self- improvement (music lessons, ice sculpturing).

But challenging the self must have worthwhile outcomes. Phil, believing he's magical, challenges himself to get Rita to sleep with him within 24 hours. He's being dishonest, still playing games and ends up getting slapped in the face repeatedly. It appears that Phil's obstinate pattern of narcissistic behaviour is the cause of this inert existential loop, and one that traps everyone he is in contact with. When he finally realizes that while money, sex and immediate self-gratification might have their perks, they are short-lived and vastly overrated, and a major personality overhaul will be required to escape this Kafkaesque nightmare. An endless, insanely frigid winter is bound to contain him (them (us)) unless new strategies are introduced, alternative energies adopted, the shift away from a self-serving paradigm sustained.

To his credit, Phil refuses to be cornered into the status quo and become one in a million zombies chanting “it is what it is”.  Phil actually starts to recover when he gives up trying. When he dismisses the quick fixes (sex, booze, anger, lying and fighting), when he relinquishes his ego and lets go of his smarmy King Joffrey-Justin Bieber juvenility, when he learns to be himself, like himself, settle into his own skin so he can thrive in and, in turn, improve his surroundings. In a reversal of _It's a Wonderful Life_, rather than Bedford Falls being worse off from George's absence, Punxsutawney is better off with Phil's presence. Routine days require routine acts of kindness and Phil and the entire town collectively benefit from it. Phil is a born-again humanist, one who rescues himself from himself, escaping a solipsistic rotation of mutually-destructive behaviour simply by being a good Samaritan. The forecast: many rewarding days of sunshine.

I always had a bit of a problem with the ending. That the cycle of unhappiness only ends when the guy gets the girl. But now I see that getting the girl was coincidental (and symbolic). Before he gets the girl he has to get himself. That's how you put a reverse spin on a downward spiral. The girl is now able to love the boy because he is love-worthy. The boy could be anyone. A politician. A corporation. You.

I can watch this movie again and again and again. Just trying to imagine what I would do in such a situation. And who doesn't like groundhogs?

Andres Gomez

Funny story done to fit on Bill Murray's shoes.

It is good enough and with a moral for the family but I don't get it what this is such a famous movie.

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Stephen Tobolowsky on the Awkward Experience of Being Cast in ‘Groundhog Day’ | TCMFF 2023

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