Rated R - Running Time: 1:37 - Released 4/13/01
BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY
Rated R - Running Time: 1:37 - Released 4/13/01
As romantic comedies go, Bridget Jones's Diary is in many
ways unconventional. It stars American actress Renée Zellweger
as a single British woman in her 30's who works at a publishing
house in London, looking for love among the humdrum prospects
in her life, namely Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. Zellweger, who
apparently gained over 20 pounds for the role, is not classically
beautiful like Gwyneth Paltrow, she's not spunky like Minnie Driver,
and she's not glamorous like Julia Roberts; she's decidedly plain,
lumpy, and tongue-tied, which is exactly what she and first-time
director Sharon Maguire are going for. Bridget Jones is a woman
who has to grow on you; a real woman, who smokes, drinks, and
talks too much, and on the occasion of her 32nd birthday, as is
prescribed by the story, decides to start telling the truth. To
her diary, that is.
Tired of her mother (Gemma Jones) trying to fix her up with
a lawyer and former neighbor named Mark Darcy (Firth) at holiday
parties, Bridget engages in a friendly flirtation with her dashing
boss, Daniel Cleaver (Grant), which develops into full-blown romance.
Daniel, who seems sexist and somewhat boorish, is nonetheless
a lot of fun, but they keep running into the dour and humorless
Mark, with whom Daniel has an ongoing grudge match because of
some dark incident in their past. Soon Daniel proves to be less
than what he first seemed, and Mark begins to spark Bridget's
interest. Eventually, she is in the position of having to choose
between the two.
Bridget Jones's Diary is written by Richard Curtis and
Andrew Davies, based on the novel by Helen Fielding; it bears
several resemblances to (and borrows several actors from) Jane
Austen's novel Pride & Prejudice and the recent A&E
movie adaptation of it. While Zellweger is earthy and believable
(sporting a phony but authentic-sounding British accent, no less),
she's not terribly attractive, either from a physical or emotional
standpoint. Ironically, her podgy, lonely Bridget seems most charming
when she's alone (especially in a brilliant scene where she sings
along to Celine Dion's recent cover of Eric Carmen's "All
By Myself"). Likewise, her male counterparts leave much to
be desired. Grant and Firth both give adequate performances, but
the trouble is, neither Daniel nor Mark is an especially likable
character. While Bridget spent her time wondering which guy was
Mr. Right, I kept thinking, is there a third choice?
Although director Maguire is successful in crafting believable characters for her triangle, she may have succeeded a little too well; the proceedings have a cold, sterile feel that ever so slightly contradicts the film's romantic aim. Zellweger shows her usual talent, but what she's being directed to do is in a way counter-productive. On the other hand, Maguire must be commended for trying something different in an industry where old, tired formula rules the day, and Zellweger is charming even if her character...isn't. ****