Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

7/10

Starring

Renée Zellweger

Hugh Grant

Colin Firth

Directed by Sharon Maguire

Here is a movie that has spawned two follow-up sequels, and in each it just delivers a punch of masterful acting in the part of Renée Zellweger.

Based on a 1996 book of the same name by Helen Fielding, the movie explorers the life of Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) as she has decided to take her life by the balls and make a dramatic turn around.

Before we dive into the full plot, mind you Renée Zellweger gained weight to make this performance memorable. In the whole turn around by Bridget, there is just a little not so significant weight loss.

The plot shows how Bridget when she overheard how she is being looked at, decided to stop the carefree over weight lifestyle and gain control of herself. She is naturally clumsy, accident prone and a lot of self-esteem issues because of her weight. When she decided to make a difference, it was her view of herself that changed, and it was that confidence that drove the whole movie.

In Bridget’s life are two men. The first is Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), Daniel is her boss and Bridget is obsessed over him and has fantasies of him. The other man in her life is Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), Mark met Bridget at a New Year party hosted by her parents. She and Mark knew each from when they were children.

Her initial meeting with Mark after all these years, was not the best as she disliked him because she perceived him as arrogant and he disliked her because to him she is just a bumbling idiot.

After the tough choices on how she now wants to direct her life, Bridget started flirting with her boss Daniel. Daniel is a notorious womaniser who only sees her as his next conquest.

Bridget found out that Daniel and Mark knew each other, and Daniel told her that Mark at one time in his past, hurt him. He tells her that in the past their friendship was ruined when the quiet but deadly Mark ended their friendship by sleeping with Daniel’s then fiancée.

The chase began, Daniel wanting to have Bridget and Mark who could careless about Bridget found himself in the middle of it all. Bridget later wanting Daniel then Mark, and Mark going after another lady who he wants to move on with his life with.

The romantic movie to trump a lot of romantic movies is this one here. It takes control of the path it is on and many times things change from the straight and narrow to the confused and distorted.

The movie was a critical and commercial success, which led to a sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004).