Groundhog Day

Movie Name: Groundhog Day
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Harold Ramis

Stars: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray, Marissa Geraghty, Angela Paton, Rick Overton
Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day" came out in 1993, after his previous directorial effort "Club Paradise" and featured Bill Murray who was coming out from "Quick Change" and "What About Bob?". The film focuses on the story of Phil Connors, a weatherman for a local Pittsburgh channel, who goes to a small town in Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day event, and who suddenly sees himself re-living the same day repeatedly. Phil initially indulges in all sorts of behaviors, but slowly his unhappiness grows and his attempts to get out of that scenario grow exponentially bizarre.
"Groundhog Day" benefits from the fantastic original story of Danny Rubin, and director Harold Ramis, who had successfully worked on classic comedies such as "Ghostbusters" and "Caddyshack" (to name but a few), manages to elevate the material to scenarios that are truly memorable. The film also benefits from a fantastic performance from Bill Murray, who gives the film an edge and a heart that makes the transition of the central character truly touching and simultaneously hilarious. The supporting cast are equally good, from the underrated Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott and Stephen Tobolowsky. This is a comedy that is intelligent, anchored in a truly unique idea and perfectly executed by a director with a great comic timing. A wonderful comedy always worth watching.