The virtue of vanity.

Rating: Null/10 (3 March 2002)

"Bridget Jones's Diary" is the story of how a young woman fouls up every aspect of her life -- sometimes by trying too hard, and sometimes by not trying at all. When she does finally get on the right track and the pieces of her "life puzzle" seem to come together, she almost messes that up too. It is certainly not a new story, by any means. It's just another way of telling the ageless tale of how people are always their own worst enemy. We usually solve and resolve our individual, psycho-social problems by getting out of our own way!
Renee Zellweger, as Bridget Jones, does a terrific job of portraying her character. She has done so in other movies ("Jerry Maguire," "Nurse Betty" etc.), but this time with the added challenge of the British accent and the quirky way in which the English say things. I found myself making heavy use of the rewind and pause buttons on the remote control, in order to fully understand what these actors were saying.
"Bridget Jones's Diary" deserves a double thumbs up. It is a very good adult comedy, with just the right amount of pathos without becoming syrupy sweet. Besides Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and other supporting actors do a fine job. There is nothing to rave about here, because most parts, aside from the Bridget Jones character, are relatively low-key. It's not the first time an actor's performance has risen above the material. So don't take this movie too seriously, just watch and enjoy it for what it is.