| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this lighthearted comedy also deals with depression, and Phil undertakes a series of suicide attempts. Phil also womanizes. Phil learns to be a better person by the end of the movie.
Cranky TV broadcaster Phil (Bill Murray) and his crew are sent to tiny Punxsutawney, Penn., to capture the "thrills" of its annual Groundhog Day celebration. A snowstorm strands them there overnight, and when he wakes up the next morning, Phil soon realizes that something strange is going on: It's Groundhog Day again. As bitter-pill Phil repeatedly relives the tedium of the same day over and over again, he gradually learns to treat people decently. He also falls for producer Rita (Andie MacDowell), working every angle to figure out how to seduce her. Each defeat means a little more information -- and gets him a little closer to winning her over the next time around.
Bill Murray shines in this good-natured comedy that delivers lots of laughs and some honest sentiment. Funny and uncommonly sweet, GROUNDHOG DAY has just the right blend of comedy and romance. Bill Murray is hilarious in his usual role as the detached wiseacre. Remarkably, the movie manages the almost impossible task of making us care about this sarcastic man.
The story is simple but clever, and uses repetition to great effect. Director Harold Ramis also uses sound and music to great comic effect. Phil wakes up every morning at 6 a.m. to the ironically cheery Sonny and Cher song "I Got You Babe."
Families can talk about other movies that play with time, such as It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol. What is appealing about this idea?
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Harold Ramis |
| Cast: | Andie MacDowell, Bill Murray, Chris Elliott |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 101 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | February 12, 1993 |
| DVD release date: | January 20, 1998 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | some thematic elements. |