Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
Renee Zelwegger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth; d. Sharon Maguire; B+

Based on the popular novel (which I've never read), Bridget Jones' Diary is the "chick flick" journey of Bridget Jones (Renee Zelwegger), a 32-year-old British woman living in, where else?, Britain. Like all searching for Mr. Right heroines Bridget Jones is single, "fat" in her own mind, and given into bad behaviors (smoking and drinking). The closest she can get to a love life is through her mother, who frequently sets her up with undesirable men. The only solace she has is her friends, one of whom is, of course, gay, her "I can so relate" movie Fatal Attraction, and, naturally, alcohol. Eventually Bridget decides, at the beginning of the film, that there is time for change. She buys a diary and begins writing her age, weight, ciggarette and alcohol intake and thoughts of that day. She starts to make agendas for herself, which include some of her New Year's resolutions (to stop smoking and drinking), and a tounge-in-cheek goal to never fantasize about her boss in a publishing agency, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, basically playing himself). With a vow in her mind to never let her mother set her up with another man again, Bridget decides to take action and seduce Cleaver by trotting around work in nonexistant skirts and see-through blouses. Considering that Cleaver is a sex fiend, this tatic works, and the two become great lunchtime lovers. Observing all of this is Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), whom Bridget met at a party at her mother's (he was the hook-up du jour, and it almost went well hadn't Mark have been wearing a homely, large green sweater with a large reindeer face on the front, or if Bridget hadn't talked as if no brain was attatched to her mouth, which is the way she usually talks in public). Darcy is the total opposite of Cleaver. Instead of being an uncouth sex addict like Cleaver, Darcy is an educated, distant, gentleman-ly fellow who seems to always be wherever Bridget is. Bridget is repulsed by Darcy's apperent arrogance, as much as the audience is of Darcy's snippy and bossy "collegue" Natasha (Embeth Davidtz). It's easy to see which man is right for Bridget, but like all movies the film's main heroine isn't quick to find that out!

Predictible and as ripe with cliches as Florida is oranges, Bridget Jones' Diary is still a well made and humorous film in spite of plot flaws. Zelwegger shines as Bridget, full of great comic timing and an actual believable (all be it annoying) British accent. Hugh Grant, as I said, basically plays himself so I wouldn't note his performance as being any kind of artistic feat. Colin Firth, though, gives a wonderful understated performance as Mark Darcy. Of course the supporting cast is great, as are the supporting characters. Naming everyone in the supporting cast who did a wonderful job would take too much time, so I won't post them here. One thing that I really liked about Bridget Jones was the choice of music and how it was used. The movie's credits scroll over a hilarous scene in which Bridget lipsyncs to Celine Dion's "All by Myself," and at the same time gives a dead-on impression of Dion herself! The song "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" has been used ad nausem in many movies, and very poorly at that. In Bridget, it's not some kind of campy "we're going to stick together" theme but a rather tounge-in-cheek "on a mission" theme used for when Bridget persues Darcy. Also notable about the movie is the cinematography, which relies more on location and position of characters than photography tricks, but is still very good. The photography of snow-covered scenes are the best. Overall this was a great, charming movie that I would highly suggest.

© Vert A Go Go Reviews 2001