I love a good romantic comedy every now and then, and Bridget Jones’s Diary is more than just another romantic comedy, it’s actually a finely crafted character study. Bridget Jones’s Diary is a charming, smart, funny and well acted film, with some wonderfully comic moments that are thankfully grounded in the world of reality and believability.

Staring Renée Zellweger as the title character, Bridget Jones’s Diary proves to be a wonderful showcase for Renée’s talents as a comedic actress. Her first big film was five years ago, opposite Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, and since then she has built up an impressive resume of different rolls, ranging from the light-hearted and comedic to the dramatic. And here, she has found a roll that is both finely crafted and believable, as well as being very commercially viable. There is no doubt, Bridget Jones’s Diary will be a big hit.

Adapted for the screen by Richard Curtis (screenwriter of Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral), from the popular, best selling British novel by author Helen Fielding, the movie, like the book, follows the foibles of Bridget Jones through the diary entries she makes over a one year period of time, from one New Years Eve to the next. In her diary, Bridget explores her own self-doubts, obstacles and fears regarding her romantic relationships, as well as all of the pressures from coworkers, friends and family members regarding her romances. On the outside she tries to be bright, fun and quirky, but on the inside Bridget struggles. And overall, the diary concept provides a lot of humor and insight into the character of Bridget Jones.

She also explores her attraction to the men in her life, including Hugh Grant’s character, Daniel Cleaver. Cleaver is almost your stereotypical male, successful and a tad chauvinistic, and to say the least, he’s every girl’s dream. And Grant is great here, and even though he’s not the best actor of all time, in certain roles like this he is perfect. He has the ability to showcase a lightly perverted but attractive and enjoyable personality that can really bring a film together. In many ways, Grant's personality is similar to that of Cary Grant or Harrison Ford. Hugh Grant can play the charming lover and he can play the scoundrel, and like Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, his very nature and personality make him a lovable scoundrel, which is an important characteristic if the audience is to trust his character. And his character is positioned as trustworthy and believable, and in Bridget Jones's Diary we actually root for Daniel and Bridget, hoping they will get together.

And that’s an interesting point, for Colin Firth’s character, Mark Darcy, at first comes across as the real scoundrel in Bridget's life, a fairly unlikable creature, especially when he looks on in scorn at Bridget and Daniel’s developing relationship. But through some nice foreshadowing, everything comes to light and in the end we learn the real reasons behind Mark’s scorn. Unfortunately Colin Firth is a relatively unknown actor, perhaps better known for a relatively small part in Shakespeare in Love and a larger one in The English Patient. But perhaps his anonymity stems from the fact that he is a very solid actor, able to change like a chamaeleon from roll to roll, characteristics of a true character actor. And here, in Bridget Jones’s Diary, he’s great, giving a finely textured performance with real emotion behind it.

In addition to exploring the romances in her diary, Bridget Jones also tries hard to set out an action plan for improving her life over this one year period. And of course, the execution of this plan falls apart, and the audience is given a character that tries hard but doesn’t always succeed, leading to some very humorous situations. And it leads into the question of whether or not Bridget Jones is a good role model. Is she a true representative of the current population of single, thirty-something women? Perhaps not, but she is one character with one life story, and for one movie, Bridget Jones's life is enjoyable to watch.

The film is well directed by newcomer Sharon Maguire, who creates a steady and upbeat feel for the film, and draws believable and realistic performances from her cast. The music is upbeat and fun, helping to tie together the themes of loss, heartache, and new hope that surround the life of Bridget Jones.

Now, I must admit that I haven't read the book that this movie was based on, but this is a film that is worth seeing. Bridget Jones's Diary isn’t the best romantic comedy of all time (for me, that honor goes to When Harry Met Sally), but Bridget Jones’s Diary does combine warmth, humor and believability in a way that is seldom done nowadays in romantic comedies. And for that, it is worth seeing.

Grade: B+

(c) April 7, 2001, Steven H. Lee



Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older