the first Bridget Jones film

Rating: Null/10 (4 April 2007)

"Bridget Jones's Diary" is a successful romantic comedy inspired by the classic novel 'Pride and Prejudice'.It uses the plot thread of the humourless and non-communicative Mark Darcy against the seemingly charming Daniel Cleaver. To make a film about someone's unspoken thoughts is no easy task.It works very well in one scene in 'Annie Hall' where the actors thoughts appear as subtitles -- but a whole movie!That said,"Bridget Jones's Diary" works very well indeed due to the fact of Renee Zellwegger's powerfully comic performance.She has really done her homework - acquiring physical weight, comic timing and the accent.The speeches she delivers at the Book presentation and Darcy's 'engagement' are very funny and are comic highlights of the film.There are physical gags to and climactic confrontation between Darcy and Cleaver. Richard Curtis and Andrew Davies's screenplay strongly supplies many a comic incident.Hugh Grant is surprisingly effective as the comical scoundrel Daniel and Colin Firth counters this by being a twentieth century Darcy (witty casting coup in the fact that he had already played Darcy in 'Pride and Prejudice for the B.B.C).The supporting cast are strong though slightly wasted.James Callis as Tom sparkles as Bridget's confidant -- the has been pop star. Shirley Henderson and Sally Phillips as Jude and Shas respectively are warmly supportive buddies.Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent as Bridget's parents give likable performances as their marital problems come to the fore .Paul Brooke is comically lecherous as 'tits'Fitzherbert, Donald Douglas and Charmian May are effective as Mark's parents.Sharon Maguire's direction is inventive and keeps the film moving at brisk pace.