GROUNDHOG DAY. Directed by Harold Ramis; written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis; produced by Trevor Albert and Harold Ramis for Columbia. Starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Rated PG.
[Hindsight note: I've enjoyed this movie more after subsequent repeated viewings. I might bump its rating up a star.]
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Sweet in tone and full of gentle humor, Groundhog Day has only one major problem. But it's a doozy.
The plot requires that Murray's character, Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Collins, gain self-knowledge and become a decent, caring individual. The problem is, though, that Murray's undeniable comic talents are most effective when he's being an obnoxious son-of-a-gun.
This discrepancy between what the star does best, and what the movie requires of him, makes Groundhog Day a disappointment. It's quite a shame, too, since the story has a really first-class gimmick as its main plot line.
Collins is in Punxsutanwney, with his producer (MacDowell) and a camera- man (Chris Elliot) to see the groundhog come out of his burrow on Feb. 2. But he finds that when it should be Feb. 3, it's not.
Struck with a monstrous case of deja vu, he relives countless Groundhog Day repetitions, with only such variations as he himself can contrive. And he comes up with some great variations. Most of them are presented so that, contrary to expectations, they're entertaining and not at all boring.
But the problems come up after the novelty of his situation wears off, and he tires of picking up girls, stealing from armored cars, and the like. Bill Murray is funny doing these things. He's not particularly funny attaining self-enlightenment.
MacDowell is appealing, if too good to be true, as the colleague who inspires Phil's transformation. Elliott has several good scenes. Fans of his "Get a Life" TV show will enjoy his contribution, although his character here isn't nearly so weird.
But ultimately Phil's climb to decency takes a terrible toll on the movie's pacing. And a poorly-paced comedy can be really hard to watch. We can sometimes handle a slow build-up that delivers a brisk pay-off. But the opposite effect is disastrous.
February 24, 1993