Singletons unite!

Rating: 10/10 (6 April 2001)

A few months ago, I had the great pleasure of reading Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones' Diary." I loved the humor, but was wary as to how well it would translate to the screen. Last night, I got a chance to go to a sneak preview of the film...it fulfilled all my hopes for what the film *should* be. It does prove to be a departure from the novel, but I feel it stays true to what BJD is all about.
Zellweger, Grant, and Firth were phenomenal...they embodied their characters, really making them come to life. I was impressed with Zellweger's accent...I would have never guessed that she was a Texan. Her comedic timing was impeccable, adding to the believability of Ms. Jones. :) Bridget has got to be one of the most truly accessible heroines out there...she's flawed, but that doesn't matter. Her humanity is what makes her great.
Colin Firth was fantastic. He really made the audience believe that a stuffed shirt like Mark Darcy could really fall in love with a quirky girl like Bridget. Considering that Helen Fielding has often commented that her inspiration for Mark Darcy was Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy in A&E's Pride and Prejudice (1995), it's no wonder that I couldn't imagine another actor in that role.
Austen fans, be sure to watch for the parallels between BJD and P&P...even some of the camera angles in Bridget Jones Diary echo scenes in the Pride & Prejudice mini-series.
I know this has already been said in other reviews, but it's so true...the audience was laughing so hard during the movie that I did miss occasional bits of dialogue. Bottom line, this is a witty film, with great dialogue, and a nice message...you don't need to a be a supermodel to find love...there can be someone out there who'll like you just the way you are.