Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Grade: A-
Actors: Renee Zelwegger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and Gemma Jones
Director: Sharon Maguire
Rated R for language


Full of snappy, intelligent wit, able direction, a good script, and a delightful performance by a glowing Renee Zellweger, "Bridget Jones's Diary" turns out to be one of the year's best comedies. It fuses romance, drama, and notions of self improvement into one smart package. Certainly a treat.

It does not, however, need all of said elements to drive people to the local multiplexes or video stores. The novel version of "Diary" was on the bestseller list a few years ago and was almost as popular as Harry Potter. Singletons (single people) everywhere rejoiced in Bridget's ferocious and perceptive humor, the book tapped into what people were really thinking and how they really feel about themselves.

That being said, there isn't really much of a plot to this film. Bridget is unhappy with who she is: her somewhat (not really) flabby appearance, her bad habits, which include smoking and drinking, and her fumblesome way with words. So, how else to remedy the situation? It's New Years resolution time!

Bridget begins a diary-- hence the title-- that moniter her alcohol and tobacco intake along with her weight. All of her plans go awry when she falls for her boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). And falls she does, head over heels, going so far as to imagine the two of them at the alter. But she fails to realize that all he does is reinforce her bad habits. Farewell to the idea of finding a nice sensible boyfriend, because Daniel drinks and smokes more than she.

There is, however, one other option: Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). He's a sweet guy that doesn't get along with Daniel, but likes Bridget "just the way she is." Of course the usual love triangle thing ensues and things culminate in a street fight between Mark and Daniel.

I used to like this television show that, to my amazement, still comes on every week. It's called "Ally McBeal", and the only way that I can describe "Bridget Jones's Diary" is to compare it to "Ally McBeal". The only catch is that it's happy, upbeat, and the main character is twenty times more likeable and sympathetic.

The thing about Bridget is that she's just like your everyday twenty-something. The film shows that she has emotions and portrays her as not being perfect, which I think is why the film works so well. We're able to see her pitfalls and pratfalls and laugh at them, because Bridget does. She doesn't take herself seriously, so why should we? That's part of the film's charm.

Ms. Zellweger embodies this British singleton in a great, Oscar-calibre performance from an intelligent, talented young actress. Colin Firth is perfectly suitable as the most likeable of the two suitors, and Hugh Grant is successfully nasty and snide.

Like Bridget, though, the film is not perfect. Since there isn't really much of a plot and the film reverts back to the whole love triangle thing, there isn't much room for originality, plot-wise. While the film is charming, the events aren't anything new and exciting. The fashion in which they are presented make up for this.

Another problem is the soundtrack. Loaded with "Girl Power!" anthems, they just seem too obvious and it is painfully so in the climactic and hilarious fight between the men. But playing "It's Raining Men" in the background is like overkill, sledgehammering home the point that, "Hey! This is funny! You'd better laugh."

But all of that trivial stuff is forgotten. "Bridget Jones's Diary" gets by on it's easy charm, great performances and a fun script. I like "Bridget" just the way it is!