It's only a movie

Rating: 7/10 (28 April 2001)

Some IMDb commenters are taking this movie way too seriously - it's a comedy for heaven's sake! Like many other best sellers, the book is no literary masterpiece, so it would be surprising if the movie was on the level of, say, Philadelphia Story.
Yes, the film's sexual politics are hardly "correct" - though many thirtyish women seem to find no difficulty in identifying with Bridget -and its portrait of Britain displays the usual Richard Curtis (sorry Sharon Maguire!) cozy stylisation - with almost all the faces as white as the inevitable snow. But Zelwegger, Firth and Grant are all excellent, and there are lots of laughs. In particular, high praise to Renee Zelwegger, who as well as having a near-perfect English accent, projects that mix of sexiness (though muted here) and vulnerability that makes her appealing to both male and female members of the audience.
One specific criticism - the fight scene is a tad too savage and prolonged for a movie of this kind.