Very Weak, though Amusing, Update of Jane Austen

Rating: 3/10 (6 December 2005)

I haven't read the book of "Bridget Jones's Diary" so I was both surprised and disappointed in the movie.
Disappointed because no way does it do for "Pride and Prejudice" what "Clueless" did for "Emma" as modern-day Jane Austen, even with Colin Firth as a literally contemporary Darcy.
Disappointed as well with Renee Zellweger's bland, generic British accent (hey I watch British TV shows so I can be attuned enough to the geographic variety of British conversation) and her bloomingly healthy good looks are just too American or even Australian.
But it is fun to see Hugh Grant as a cad and the slapstick and embarrassing situations are laugh out loud funny. But the timing could be tighter and there's too many easy choices.
The soundtrack is only 50% effective. For every on-target commentary by Aretha or Chaka, there's a smarmy ballad that turned out to be Robbie Williams or some other flaky Brit popster. And I'm Van Morrison's #1 fan, but yet another movie that ends with an old Van the Man love song?
(originally written 4/29/2001)