The Flipcritic

My girlfriend told me once that women really want men who like them just the way they are. It sounds so cliché and over-simplistic, but it is a sincere quality that most women have difficulty finding. BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY captures this essence and tells its story with such refreshing wit and irony. It's the story of an British angst-ridden woman named Bridget Jones (played deliciously perfect by Renee Zellweger) going through a crisis of being single in your thirties. She eats too much, drinks too much, and has nightmares of dying overweight, unwanted and being eaten by dogs. These are of course, normal fears everyone has (some of them anyway). She basically gets re-acquainted with a childhood friend in Mark Darcy (Colin Firth of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE) and is having an affair with her playboy boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and has too decide between the two of them.

This movie is based on a popular novel of the same title by Helen Fielding, who thankfully also wrote the screenplay for the film. I haven't read it, but many critics agree that the soul of the novel is preserved. To quote Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times, "Glory be, they didn't muck it up." Regardless, the movie has some really vicious wit, and many amusing moments. But what this movie has most is heart. It identifies with all women who are looking for that someone who likes what is true in them. Susan Stark of the Detroit Daily News says it best: "Women here and abroad are going to laugh with her, cry with her, steam with her, and totally identify after this gloriously full, heartfelt, generous performance." Many guys will call this a chick flick, I call it a very insightful yet humorous look on how women feel, and what they think. This is WHAT WOMEN WANT with more heart and brains, but less sitcom.

Before this movie came out, there was an uproar among the fans of the novel when they found out Renee Zellweger was to be cast as Bridget Jones. Many thought the film would become another mainstream romantic comedy with a cute sexy young lady in a humorous situation. But the filmmakers obviously wanted to keep the story intact, because you will not see the same Renee in this film. She gained 20 pounds for this role, and it shows. But in no way does her added girth take away the sincerity, charm, and warmth of her performance. In order for this movie to work, the lead character has to be someone everyone cares about and identifies with. Casting Zellweger instantly achieves that. Seeing her on the screen, we want to comfort her and have fun with her at the same time. She is to this movie what Angelina Jolie is to LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, and like her, she gets the British accent down pat!

Another perfect act of casting is for the character of Mark Darcy played brilliantly by Colin Firth. He has always been considered one of the finer British actors in the business, but doesn't get much attention because of the depth of his characters. Though he plays the straight man here, he steals almost every scene he's in. He's stiffer than a corpse, yet he emanates a sweet sincerity, even though he is considered blunt and droll by those around him. At some points he seems like leading man material. He doesn't step wrong here. Hugh Grant is great as the wickedly smug and sexy publishing house boss that Bridget works for. I've never seen him play the baddie before, but he does it with style, having an almost Cary Grant presence. He's very hard to dislike, even if he is what he is. See if you recognize Bridget's Dad. He's Jim Broadbent, the bloke who plays Harold Zidler in MOULIN ROUGE. He shows his versatility by playing a totally different type of character, being meek and gentle this time.

But enough about the characters. The movie is wonderful in its irreverent own way. We care so much for Bridget to choose the right decisions, even at times when she is desperately lonely or deliriously happy. But however we judge her actions, we understand her decisions, and never blame her. The credit should go to Renee Zellweger for such an inspired performance, being able to take this character and make it her own. BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY has some qualities of a romantic comedy, but it's more than that. It's a movie everyone can relate to. Really guys, you should see this "chick flick". It's smart and funny, and that's a lot more I can say for "guy flicks".