Bridget Jones's Diary Video

Average Rating:

Renee Zellweger does a fantastic job as a size 12 British spinster, Hugh Grant does a bang-up job as a no-good player, and Colin Firth is likewise excellent as the pretentious barrister.

The film made me laugh out loud many times. In fact, it made me snort like a goosed hog! Bridget, despite being a rather fluffy-headed sort, reminds me so much of certain friends of mine that the movie became very personal. The character of Bridget is very much a real person, and the crazy situations she gets herself into are both believable and hilarious. Even if there are a couple of mushy bits, they don't last overly long, and Bridget Jones's Diary is well-worth the watching.

Having watched the movie again AFTER reading the book, I was even more enchanted with her wonderful performance. And of course the addition of Colin Firth as an updated Mister Darcy, parodying his own performance as the haughty and brooding Darcy in the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice," is simply too delicious to miss. As Bridget devotees know, Bridget and her girlfriends have quite an obsession with Mr. Firth...and he plays along with the joke without once letting us down.

It is Hugh Grant, however, who gave me pause. Hugh plays Hugh, as he always does, but this time he's the villain, if you will--Bridget's faithless and rotten boss Daniel, who loves her and leaves her a number of times. I just couldn't quite see Hugh as the bad guy, and he did not, to my mind, resemble the nasty user in the book. On the other hand, I always find him a delight, so this weakness did not ruin the movie for me.

For those who like their movies to be absolute replicas of the book, this is not the one to watch. Rather, it is a delightful, fast-paced and maybe a little bit frenzied hodgepodge of bits and pieces of the book, with a little more thrown in. Some memorable parts of the book, such as Bridget's battle with the "nasty underpants," are taken out of context, but still very funny. The book's gentle parody of Pride and Prejudice is still in evidence, and very funny, thanks to the above-mentioned deadpan performance by Firth. Bridget is no Elizabeth Bennett, but the whole thing works, somehow, just as it did in the book.

This is the kind of movie to pop into the VCR whilst drinking a bottle of wine with one's girlfriends in front of the telly. It doesn't get old, and it is simply pure pleasure.

Zellwegers British Accent is Spot On, she Silences her Critics with a Top-Notch Performances and even though she had to put on a few pounds for the role, I don't think she has Ever been more Attractive. Hugh Grant finally gets to lose his Innocent, Stuttering Persona for something a Little more Fun, and he looks like he is Loving it, as am I. Colin Firth Recycles his "Mr Darcy" (from the BBC Production of Jane Austin's "Pride and Prejudice") role in this film playing a man named... Mr Darcy. I am All too Familiar with this character as my Mother and Sister watch P and P Religiously, he fits the role like Pierce Brosnan suits Bond. My mother tells me that there are Many Other similarities between B J's D and P and P, fans of the Novel or the Miniseries should have fun picking them out. (My Mother sure did)

Director Sharon Maguire Knows the Terrain, that's Blindingly Obvious. She has, in many ways, made the Perfect Romantic Comedy, I Simply Cannot pick a fault. I Adored the Characters and Loved the Script which Literally had me Laughing Immediately and Constantly. From the Hilarious Starting Credits at the Train Station, the First Character to open his mouth had me in a Fit of Laughter, and During the End Credits it Doesn't Stop, as the Names roll, the Jokes just Keep on Coming. It's a film that Keeps of Giving.

Like All the aforementioned films, B J's D is a film for Everyone, Kids will enjoy watching Bridget fall over here and there, Women will like it All, especially the two male leads and Men will love the Humour and Zellwegers Loveable performance. It's 5 Star Entertainment All the Way.