Bud_Fox
11-19-2001, 10:48 AM
Bridget Jones Diary
Starring: Renee Zelwegger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth.
http://filmstills5.freeservers.com/bridget1/bridg43.jpg
Let me start off by saying Bridget Jones Diary is a refreshing and bold attempt to break away from the cookie cutter romance movie mold served up to us these days(thanks Julia). Unfortunately it does not entirely succeed. Of course we have a love triangle. A plot riddled with almost painfully predictable plot sequences- ex.When someone knocks at Bridget's door I always guessed correctly who it was. We also have our Heroin surrounded by the all too familiar and cliche' group of paper thin friends. Who's only purpose is to listen to Bridget's every word, offer silly advice and provide a few cheap laughs. We also have the all-too-familiar quirky family, etc...
There are a dozen of other common similarities to todays romance comedies which could have undoubtedly gagged me and left me unconscious with no choice but to grade this Diary an F-. Fortunately this romance comedy provides a refreshing spin with a slightly overweight, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, 30-Something single British woman named Bridget Jones (Renee Zelwegger of course http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif) Unlike our cliche' hopeless romantic, single women characters Bridget is extraordinarily relatable, likeable, and realistic due to the superb acting of Renee. It was as comical as it was refreshing to see her stumble through a career in publishing with horrifically bad public speaking skills. Spend countless nights on her couch getting soused on wine while chain smoking. Then attempting to lose weight, quit smoking and drinking, only to fail miserably. Sleep with her boss, to later leave him and her career in publishing to embark on a career in television. Only to slide down a firemans pole and fall buttocks http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif first onto the camera lens. Leaving her the laughing stock of British News as a close up of her ass is shown on every television in England http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif. Of course she then in turn redeems herself by landing an exclusive interview with the help of a lawyer (Colin Firth), hope-to-be love interest, who also happens to have some past issues (the lawyer that is) with Bridgets first boyfriend (her boss at the publishing house- Hugh Grant.) Did I lose anyone?
Regardless of the predictability of the plot there are a ton of laugh out loud sequences (I couldn't get over the blue soup http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif) It was also nice, from a guys stand point, to see that Hugh Grant is not aging so gracefully. The older he gets the more his puppy dog eyes looks less like a puppy dogs, and more like an old Chinese mans who hasn't slept in days. The soundtrack was very upbeat, and oddly American- shouldn't they have played more British music? Also the score is very All McBeal like with those type of shot sequences of Bridget walking the city sidewalks with the Pointer Sisters singing songs that conveyed her mood. Many might not be fond of Bridgets Jones many, many similarities to Ally in this movie, but I definitely dug them.
Additionally I dug the very obvious Alice in Wonderland reference. In a visually cool scene where Bridget is dressed as a bunny rabbit having a chat in a garden with her father, who is smoking a cigarette in worm like fashion as he sits atop a mushroom. As far as its relevance to the rest of the movie- I dunno? I guess like Alice Bridget was lost and trying to discover herself and surroundings. Hmmm eat me..drink me..hmmmm.
My only complaint with this movie was the same one I have with a lot of British films. For one I find myself not understanding a lot of phrases and words (a Tarts and Vickers party?) and two sometimes the British sense of humour is not only not funny, it doesn't even make sense. But no Biggie.
Overall Bridget Jones Diary, although predictable in the todays Romance Comedy kind of way, this film was still very funny, thoroughly entertaining, and in my opinion this was definitely a break out performance by Zelwegger-who I might add performed a steadfast English accent which never waned once thorughout the film. Also Renee not only put on extra weight for this role, but pulled it off convincingly and more than one time was not afraid to run around in her underwear showing us that Big can Definitely be Beautiful.
Bridget Jones Diary 7/10
[This message has been edited by Bud_Fox (edited 11-19-2001).]
Starring: Renee Zelwegger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth.
http://filmstills5.freeservers.com/bridget1/bridg43.jpg
Let me start off by saying Bridget Jones Diary is a refreshing and bold attempt to break away from the cookie cutter romance movie mold served up to us these days(thanks Julia). Unfortunately it does not entirely succeed. Of course we have a love triangle. A plot riddled with almost painfully predictable plot sequences- ex.When someone knocks at Bridget's door I always guessed correctly who it was. We also have our Heroin surrounded by the all too familiar and cliche' group of paper thin friends. Who's only purpose is to listen to Bridget's every word, offer silly advice and provide a few cheap laughs. We also have the all-too-familiar quirky family, etc...
There are a dozen of other common similarities to todays romance comedies which could have undoubtedly gagged me and left me unconscious with no choice but to grade this Diary an F-. Fortunately this romance comedy provides a refreshing spin with a slightly overweight, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, 30-Something single British woman named Bridget Jones (Renee Zelwegger of course http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif) Unlike our cliche' hopeless romantic, single women characters Bridget is extraordinarily relatable, likeable, and realistic due to the superb acting of Renee. It was as comical as it was refreshing to see her stumble through a career in publishing with horrifically bad public speaking skills. Spend countless nights on her couch getting soused on wine while chain smoking. Then attempting to lose weight, quit smoking and drinking, only to fail miserably. Sleep with her boss, to later leave him and her career in publishing to embark on a career in television. Only to slide down a firemans pole and fall buttocks http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif first onto the camera lens. Leaving her the laughing stock of British News as a close up of her ass is shown on every television in England http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif. Of course she then in turn redeems herself by landing an exclusive interview with the help of a lawyer (Colin Firth), hope-to-be love interest, who also happens to have some past issues (the lawyer that is) with Bridgets first boyfriend (her boss at the publishing house- Hugh Grant.) Did I lose anyone?
Regardless of the predictability of the plot there are a ton of laugh out loud sequences (I couldn't get over the blue soup http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif) It was also nice, from a guys stand point, to see that Hugh Grant is not aging so gracefully. The older he gets the more his puppy dog eyes looks less like a puppy dogs, and more like an old Chinese mans who hasn't slept in days. The soundtrack was very upbeat, and oddly American- shouldn't they have played more British music? Also the score is very All McBeal like with those type of shot sequences of Bridget walking the city sidewalks with the Pointer Sisters singing songs that conveyed her mood. Many might not be fond of Bridgets Jones many, many similarities to Ally in this movie, but I definitely dug them.
Additionally I dug the very obvious Alice in Wonderland reference. In a visually cool scene where Bridget is dressed as a bunny rabbit having a chat in a garden with her father, who is smoking a cigarette in worm like fashion as he sits atop a mushroom. As far as its relevance to the rest of the movie- I dunno? I guess like Alice Bridget was lost and trying to discover herself and surroundings. Hmmm eat me..drink me..hmmmm.
My only complaint with this movie was the same one I have with a lot of British films. For one I find myself not understanding a lot of phrases and words (a Tarts and Vickers party?) and two sometimes the British sense of humour is not only not funny, it doesn't even make sense. But no Biggie.
Overall Bridget Jones Diary, although predictable in the todays Romance Comedy kind of way, this film was still very funny, thoroughly entertaining, and in my opinion this was definitely a break out performance by Zelwegger-who I might add performed a steadfast English accent which never waned once thorughout the film. Also Renee not only put on extra weight for this role, but pulled it off convincingly and more than one time was not afraid to run around in her underwear showing us that Big can Definitely be Beautiful.
Bridget Jones Diary 7/10
[This message has been edited by Bud_Fox (edited 11-19-2001).]