Groundhog Day: parents' guide
Best for ages 11 and up. Rated PG for some thematic elements.
A clever, funny and surprisingly moving comedy for tweens and up, about a cranky TV weatherman forced to relive the same day over and over in a small Pennsylvania town. The main thing parents should know is that, in despair, he repeatedly tries to end his life in a comic montage, including electrocution and jumping from a tower, and wakes up fine each time. An elderly homeless man also dies despite his efforts to save him. There's drunk driving, smoking and some innuendo, but the language is very mild. The suicide attempts are why we suggest 11.
What's in it
Violence
ModeratePhil's suicide attempts appear in a comic montage: a toaster dropped into his bath, stepping in front of a truck, a leap from a tower and a fiery truck plunge off a cliff with the groundhog aboard. He also punches an annoying acquaintance.
Language
MildVery mild: one count found two mild curse words and two exclamations, including hell, plus a middle-finger gesture. No s-words or f-words.
Sex and nudity
MildPhil uses what he learns in the time loop to seduce women, kissing one on a couch and later lying fully clothed in bed with Rita. There's some sexual innuendo and a mention of Hustler magazine. No nudity.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModeratePhil drinks with two locals at a bowling alley and bar, then drives drunk with police in pursuit. Adults drink socially, and some characters smoke cigarettes.
Scary or intense scenes
ModeratePhil's despair and repeated attempts to end his life, though played lightly, can upset kids who don't grasp the time loop. An old homeless man he tries to save dies, a quiet, sad moment.
Sensitive topics
- Suicide
Worth talking about
Phil feels hopeless before he finds meaning in helping others. Talk about why the movie plays his suicide attempts as jokes, and who a teen could turn to when feeling stuck or hopeless.
On our lists
Similar picks around 11+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, movieguide.org, the MPA, Wikipedia. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.