Good Performances, Middling Direction

Rating: 7/10 (13 April 2001)

The good stuff:
Renee Z: Pitch perfect as Bridget. A performance without ego, winning every moment she's on-screen (in other words, the whole movie).
Hugh Grant: His best role for years. Not the stuttering, bumbling sweetie, but a deliciously slimy cad.
Colin Firth: My wife finally sees why women are nuts about him. Wonderful counterpoint to Grant, their jousting was fun and provided some nice edginess.
And now the problems...the movie lost it about the halfway mark. The "diary" structure which worked so well for the first section was abandoned altogether and it became a more "conventional" romantic comedy. Also, England was shown as either dusted with snow or in bright sunshine (where's the rain, lads?) everyone (except Bridget) has homes worthy of millionaires and the "supporting friends" roles (well written by Richard Curtis in 4 Weddings and Notting Hill) are woefully sketchy and incomplete. The fight between Grant and Firth is ludicrous and out of place.

So, I was looking for at least a 9 (after half an hour) but in the end 7/10 will about do it. Bring Renee back to London for "The Edge of Reason", please!