"Bridget Jones's Diary" - The Secret to a Good Time by Homer Yen (c) 2001
My favorite moment: two British blokes engage in a street fight to see who is the better man. This sequence shows that when it comes to love, there are no clear choices. And in Britain where restraint is the norm, two 'proper' men trying to slug it out look amusingly like drunkards failing a sobriety test.
There's nothing like a cheery, romantic comedy to help lift your spirits and reaffirm your love of life. Yes, a good romantic comedy is always welcome. But BJD, unfortunately and surprisingly, does not always evoke the emotional highs that it constantly seemed poised to reach. It's almost effervescent. It's almost joyous. It's almost magical. And it came so close to being great. But something held it back.
The movie felt like a fervent throwback to the days of Audrey Hepburn when there seemed nothing more invigorating than a brisk ride down a country road with the wind blowing through your hair. Watching this film, there are sequences that remind us of timeless, romantic classics such as "Roman Holiday" or "Sabrina."
Renee Zellwegger is radiant as our heroine, Bridget Jones, who seems to be the live comic strip character version of "Cathy." A little overweight and a little bit neurotic (and very British), she struggles daily with her sense of self-worth. In a cute opening sequence, Bridget droops in front of a TV and lip-synchs to Celine Dion's syrupy "All By Myself." Will her life mirror the sad lyrics of soft rock FM ballads forever? Not if she can help it. Armed with a new attitude and a new diary to write down her innermost thoughts and observations, she's ready to make a difference in her life.
Her life proceeds to take a series of life-affirming as well as challenging turns as she becomes involved with her handsome and successful boss, Daniel (Hugh Grant). He treats her like a movie star. At the outset, she's ebullient. But doubts soon emerge. To add to her growing uncertainty, Mark (Colin Firth), a childhood friend, seems to be waiting in the wings. More complicated, Daniel and Mark are bitter over an episode that ended their friendship. Who is the better person? The audience will be somewhat divided. The film adeptly keeps us wondering who is good and who is bad and who deserves to be forgiven and given another chance.
But there's also anxiety at home. Her hilariously dotty mom, infamous for her curry turkey dinners, has left to be a presenter on a TV shopping network. Her dad has a perpetual vapid look about him and he always seems to be in his pajamas. These wacky characters give this film a wonderfully offbeat quirkiness.
Despite its inherent appeal, the movie's magic falls short. At any given time, the film seemed like it was destined to be a great romantic comedy. But while there's general gaiety, there's not enough emotional pull. Was the man that she chose truly Mr. Right? The "wow" factor behind her decision seemed muted. Most distracting and puzzling, though, was the frequency of obscenities used. With a little bit of thought, this could have been retooled into a PG-13 version that could have been just as endearing. BJD certainly offers fireworks. Yet they seem to be more like the kind you'd see at a stadium after the home team wins rather than the display during the 4th of July by the Washington Monument, which is what we deserved.
Grade: B S: 2 out of 3 L: 3 out of 3 V: 1 out of 3
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