I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack. Be afraid. Be very afraid....
I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack. Be afraid. Be very afraid....
Member since:22.02.2001
Reviews:166
Members who trust:29
It could be a nightmare, it could be a Godsend. No, I'm not talking about the quality of the film, but the idea of having a Groundhog Day.
Billy Murray and Andie McDowell share the billing in this romantic comedy. Both of them work for the same TV news company. Murray is the News Correspondent, and a surly one at that. He's dismissive, abrupt, uncaring, rude and cold character, who regularly disrespects his crew. Having been sent to cover the event that supposedly heralds the start of spring, he's his usual abrasive self.
Phil the Groundhog refuses to put in an appearance, thereby signalling that the winter weather is there for a while yet, and so the crew return to their hotel to rest before they attempt the journey home through a blizzard. They don't make the trip and have to stay an extra night, and this is where Murray's nightmare comes into being. He wakes up and goes through exactly the same sequence of events as the day before. He survives this day confused, goes to bed, wakes up and goes through exactly the the same sequence of events as the day before.
And there you have the plot.
Murray is forced to keep living the same day over and over and over and over. The comedy comes when he realises how he can use this bizarre scene to woo his co-worker, Andie McDowell.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I loved the idea, which I thought was highly original, and that way it evolved as it went along.
The humour is very Bill Murray. Sarcastically over the top with that childish twist that occassionally really works out for him - rather like in the films Ghostbusters, Caddyshack and Stripes.
McDowell acquits herself well, especially as the part she is called to play means that she doesn't get any real comedy hits and has to act the straight role to Murray's funny and bizarre one. The whole film is really aimed at the brusque television presenter and so he gets all the juicy lines, plot twists and consequently, all the laughs.
Apparently this film is a bit hit and miss with some people. I loved it, but I know of others who didn't enjoy it all that much, so I guess this one is really down to individual tastes.
If you like Bill Murray's idea of comedy, especially those that work for his style, then I'll guarantee that you like this one too. If you don't, well, maybe watch this when it's peeing down with rain and there's bugger all else to do save watching wood warp. Who knows. Maybe you'll end up liking this as much as I do.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Christopher Ettridge, Victor McGuire, Emma Amos, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Elizabeth Carling
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
I watched this film when I was at uni in '94 I think it was when it came out in the pics, then a few more times on TV. It gets better after each viewing, a classic. Thnx for an excellent op. R :-)
christopherj84 09.07.2001 14:41
Good review. I love it.
rvb13 09.07.2001 00:50
Didn't really like this the first time I saw it but bought it on video and have seen it a few times since so I've probably changed my mind now!
Decent, lighthearted and fully amusing slapstick is hard to come by these days, and ... more
1993'sGroundhog Daymanages to also be genuinely wise about the human condition. All this and belly laughs too! Bill Murray stars as Phil, a bored, petulant news reporte...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Decent, lighthearted and fully amusing slapstick is hard to come by these days, and ... more
1993'sGroundhog Daymanages to also be genuinely wise about the human condition. All this and belly laughs too! Bill Murray stars as Phil, a bored, petulant news reporte...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Decent, lighthearted and fully amusing slapstick is hard to come by these days, and ... more
1993'sGroundhog Daymanages to also be genuinely wise about the human condition. All this and belly laughs too! Bill Murray stars as Phil, a bored, petulant news reporte...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Very Funny, good film for all the family Disadvantages: Can get a little repetitive just for a few minutes, some of my friends found it very irritating
Boris 25.08.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Groundhog Day (DVD)
![Groundhog Day [DVD] [1993]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78551473.jpg "Groundhog Day [DVD] [1993]")
![Groundhog Day (Collector's Edition) [DVD] [1993]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78545717.jpg "Groundhog Day (Collector's Edition) [DVD] [1993]")
Jul 7th, 2001
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