Bridget Jones's Diary Review

by Christopher Null (cnull AT mindspring DOT com)
April 12th, 2001
BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY
    A film review by Christopher Null
    Copyright 2001 filmcritic.com
    filmcritic.com

I'm used to the e-mail: You're not a cheerleader so you shouldn't review
Bring It On! Or If you don't like boring movies about Iraqi Kurds you
shouldn't review A Time for Drunken Horses! Or If you've never heard of
Reynaldo Arenas you shouldn't review a movie about his life (Before
Night Falls)!

Sorry, folks, I don't buy it. Do I need to be shot into space to review
Apollo 13? A movie should stand on its own whether you're familiar with
the subject, whether you're fond of the topic in question, or whether
you're a member of the demographic that the film is about or is targeted
at. If it especially appeals to a certain group (and what film
doesn't?), well, good for you. But I'm going to review whatever I want
-- and if you don't want to hear what a white guy in his late 20's has
to say about cinema, well, that's just to bad.

So with that lengthy disclaimer understand that this review of the
celebrated adaptation of the novel Bridget Jones's Diary is written by a
non-British man who's never read the book. Deal with it. You'll also
have to forgive me for not writing this review in the "v. Bridget's
diary" style that I guarantee every other one you read will be written
in....

The story of Bridget Jones's Diary tracks our title character during the
32nd year of her life, one dominated by menial work, too much
drinking/smoking/eating, and most notably, the lack of a meaningful
relationship. Renée Zellweger has clearly and bravely gained the 20
requisite pounds to play the chubby-cheeked Bridget, who repeated
resolves to get her life in order -- and pretty much mucks it up
miserably every time.

Central to her woes are her rakish boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and
her childhood friend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Oddly, while Bridget
professes romantic woes, she soon finds herself with the two men to
choose from. Hence the dilemma, and hence the need for a diary.

Hugh Grant's role as her scoundrel of a boss is quite delicious, showing
us some of his inner rogue that was responsible for memorably getting he
and Divine Brown together a few years back. The humorless Firth,
however, is another matter. Meant to be a rather stiff antithesis to
Cleaver's carefree loony, he comes off as unlovable and never makes a
case for why Bridget would genuinely be interested in him. Students of
Hollywood won't find much surprise in the resolution, though, no matter
how thick the accents used to mask the movie's origin.

Fortunately, Bridget Jones is elicits a frequent giggle as it sets up
jokes and invariably pays them off, relying on Zellweger to deliver a
bravely out-there comedic performance, the talent for which she must
have picked up during her time as Jim Carrey's squeeze. She shows up as
the only one in a hooker costume at a "tarts and vicars" party. She
runs through a snowstorm in leopard-print panties. Nice. Zellweger
isn't afraid to show us her (expanded) skin, and she deserves credit for
it. So much so, that I'll go out on a limb here and predict she'll win
at least one People's Choice Award next year!

But Bridget Jones isn't Annie Hall. She's an archetype for modern
singles, sure, but her predicament is somewhat inaccessible while it
strives to be universal. Her goofy antics are hilarious slapstick, and
I figure that's all the producers ever intended. And that's fine with
me. Even though I didn't read the book, it just goes to show that even
a v. married Yank can enjoy a little something silly about a troubled,
single British gal.

RATING: ***1/2

|------------------------------|
\ ***** Perfection \
\ **** Good, memorable film \
    \ *** Average, hits and misses \
    \ ** Sub-par on many levels \
    \ * Unquestionably awful \
    |------------------------------|

MPAA Rating: R

Director: Sharon Maguire
Producer: Tim Bevan, Jonathan Cavendish, Eric Fellner
Writer: Richard Curtis, Andrew Davies, Helen Fielding
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant

http://entertainment.msn.com/bridget/default.asp

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