Normally I would find a two hour movie about a pudgy, foul mouthed, complaining middle-aged woman intolerable. Wait? She has a British accent? Never mind! It's hysterical! Add two dashing British "hunks" and it's a classic. Stumped? It's Bridget Jones' Diary! Despite harkening my deep seated fears of spinsterhood, I love this film. The wine, the cigarettes, the spanx, the social missteps all seamlessly combine to create a perfect 2 hour chick flick. Renee Zellweger, a native texan, proves that an all-american girl can fit right in in a cozy london flat with a convincing accent. As astutely pointed out by a friend of mine, BJD has several climax scenes keeping the viewer interested and involved. Unlike most romantic comedies that have a sure fire feel good ending, Bridget Jones leaves you satisfied without giving too much away initially in the film. Both candidates Hugh Grant and Colin Firth are good looking and charming, both their own quirks that make the audience root for them. An internal debate exists not only in our flawed heroine, but in our minds as well. Who to pick? The question goes through bumps and pot holes until the amazing final scene.
The sub-plot of the boozy mother and father's marital issues elevates the film past a superficial rom-com to a spectacle with deeper issues. And if that's not enough this one line should be...
Interviewer: What do you think about the El Nino phenomenon?
Bridget: It's a blip. Latin music's on its way out
My only qualm with this film is that she ALWAYS looks like she needs to brush her hair. I get that she is playing "the average woman" but average people brush their hair, too!
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