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Groundhog Day
Metascore
72 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Scott Tobias
    90
    A hilarious and unexpectedly profound comedy.
  2. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hal Hinson
    90
    For once, the audience isn't forced to surrender its intelligence (or its healthy cynicism) to embrace the film's sunny resolution.
  3. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    88
    This movie has all the qualities necessary to be a crowd-pleaser: likable characters, charismatic performers, a strong, capably-executed premise, and lots of laughs.
  4. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Elvis Mitchell
    80
    That glimmer of recognition is what makes Groundhog Day a particularly witty and resonant comedy, even when its jokes are more apt to prompt gentle giggles than rolling in the aisles.
  5. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    80
    [Murray] has the natural actor's charm of making manners matter. He carries Groundhog Day with his uniquely frittery nonchalance and makes the movie a comic time warp anyone should be happy to get stuck in. [15 Feb 1993, p.63]
    All this critic's reviews
  6. The New Republic
    Reviewed by: Stanley Kauffmann
    80
    Murray, more often than not, is pretty unbearable; but here, playing a man who is unbearable, Murray begins convincingly, amusingly, and gets even more amusing as he metamorphoses. [15 Mar 1993, p.24]
    All this critic's reviews
  7. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    A demonstration of the way time can sometimes give us a break.
  8. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    70
    Seeing it once is fine, but seeing it every day for the rest of your life is not recommended.
  9. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Louis Black
    67
    There were a lot of ways for this film to go stupid; it succumbs to none of them.
  10. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    67
    The funniest moments in Groundhog Day come when Phil takes sneaky advantage of his predicament-by, say, pumping a sexy woman in the local coffee shop for facts about her past and then, ''the next day,'' using the information to lure her into bed. What the movie lacks is the ingenious, lapidary comic structure that could have made these moments fuse into something tricky and wild.
  11. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Rick Groen
    63
    Dial your expectations to moderate, burrow in for the duration, and you won't be disappointed - it ain't exactly springtime, but there are worse things than an amiable outing on a winter's night.
  12. Variety
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    60
    The film is inconsistent in tone and pace; fortunately the pay-off works, bringing some much needed warmth to the area.
  13. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Desson Thomson
    60
    With its zany daily episodes, "Groundhog" gets stuck in a non-progressive repetition.
  14. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    60
    Considering that none of the characters is fresh or interesting, it's a commendable achievement that the quality of the storytelling alone keeps the movie watchable and likable.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.9 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 59 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. NedRyerson1
    8
    Groundhog Day is a movie with a simple message but the way in which it is developed is amazing, because it is purely human, the things Phil does are the ones that probably everyone would do if they were in that situation. At first he tries to resolve the problem, and then he takes advantage of the circumstances, after that the meteorologist attempts to finish with his condition, and finally Phil reaches the maximum level of egocentricity believing that he is some kind of God, until he realizes that there is only one way to scape. What the whole thing represents is the path you need to go through in order to lose and find yourself, although the things that happen in the middle are of your business. This film has a great cast, starting by Bill Murray, which I think is the best performance of his career; also Andie MacDowell and Stephen Tobolowsky are incredible. The music is so nostalgic, my favorite is I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher, and the form in which is interrupted by the broadcasters always makes me laugh. This is a special picture and I will never forget it, and if you think the Groundhog day is repeated to many times, I can say to you: that day is repeated the same amount of times as the days in a season.… Full Review »
  2. JawsPapi87
    10
    One of the best comedies of all time. It's a perfect mix of comedy, actual intelligence and great acting. Bill Murray's performance is one of the best ever… Full Review »
  3. JAM123
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. I thought this was a really good movie. It was funny, romantic, and made you think. It made you think about if you had one day to repeat, what would you do with it. Bill Murray is great in it and it was a really great movie.… Full Review »
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