Bridget Jones’s Diary
★★★
It took me a bit to settle into the vibe of Bridget Jones's Diary. I probably hadn't seen this film since it was released, and though the story itself has aged well, it's hard to keep in mind how revolutionary the character Bridget Jones was at the time. This movie broke a lot of barriers in how we felt like our female protagonists needed to be portrayed in rom-coms. Bridget is foul-mouthed, promiscuous and has no filter. This had to be a shock to a system that was used to seeing adorable Meg Ryan-like characters. For that, I enjoyed seeing this twist of a character in the genre, but I never completely invested in the love triangle that dominates this film.
Director Sharon Maguire paints scenes of memorable moments and though the characters are fully fleshed out, I never felt a strong connection between either of Bridget's suitors. I don't pin this on the direction or the acting. I'm sure there is a huge discourse about the legitimacy of Renée Zellweger's accent, but she embodies the spirit of Bridget perfectly. Hugh Grant is great as the slimy playboy and once again shows how dynamic of an actor he can be, and Colin Firth embodies his stoic lawyer role with ease. I just never believed the strong romantic dynamics. The three are put in situations that I didn't quite believe they had earned. Once the "I like you just the way you are" line is brought out, the film starts to add some emotional heft. But just as I started to become invested, a fistfight came along that I will admit is entertaining, but preposterous. This film shines when the characters are put into awkward situations that we all can relate to, but when moments go for complete absurdity to earn laughs, the film just doesn't work.
It still makes me a bit sick to my stomach to think that as a culture in 2001, we were in line with the film's portrayal that Bridget's physical attributes are less than desirable because I think Zellweger is adorable in this movie. I'd like to think that we have progressed more and this movie may have something to do with that. I enjoyed my time with this film and I think it's a very cute story. But, like most vacations, you are glad you visited, but probably won't go back again. This rewatch was a reminder of why I hadn't taken the time to watch the sequels. I liked Bridget Jones, but I don't need to see her spend more time with either Mark Darcy or Daniel Cleaver.
