This is occasionally funny, sickly sweet, but does nothing in the way of breaking convention...

Rating: 6/10 (1 June 2014)

I'm gonna come straight out and say it – I don't really love romcoms. Recent and future entries in this blog may lead you to think otherwise, with both "Love Actually" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral" reviewed within days of each other. Actually no, on further thought, I love a lot of romcoms. The classics, like "Some Like it Hot" or "Manhattan", or recent subversions of the genre, such as "(500) Days of Summer" and "Punch Drunk Love", are films which I admire greatly despite being in this genre. These are the films which either began the clichés in an unforced and genuinely romantic way, or which turned the conventions on their heads. "Bridget Jones's Diary" is occasionally funny, sickly sweet, but does nothing in the way of breaking convention.
The film follows the title character, played by Renée Zellweger, and her search for love with a few different men – including those played by Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. Her impressions of the two change throughout the film as she gets new information, with her love for Daniel Cleaver (Grant) turning into hatred after he cheats on her, and her hatred for Mark Darcy (Firth) turning into love. She is a clumsy woman, prone to faux-pas, which leads to some interesting and witty comedy, and often leaves her unlucky in love.
Renée Zellweger is a good choice for Jones, and she passes off a sense of 'ordinary' which is important for the character. The comic set pieces and dialogue is managed well by her and she is actually a very likable character. Colin Firth also brings across the bumbling British romantic well, and despite their initial hatred for each other, you see how the two work as a couple. The biggest problem is Hugh Grant, who I continue to dislike strongly. Having seen this and "Four Weddings" in such close proximity, it's hard not to draw comparisons between their characters, basically the same in both.
"Bridget Jones's Diary" has a lot of great things in some cast choices, and some excellently funny moments. The fight scene between the two men is genuinely funny, and I love many of Zellweger's scenes, particularly her terrible public speaking. Where it falls down is at the bare romance and reliance on genre clichés. It's too predictable and from the introduction of both men, we know which one she's going to fall for. The one grace in this is that, despite its cheese, the final scene is very sweet. It's not a particularly clever film, but then again, it's not trying to be. I didn't love it, but I'm sure that fans of this genre will – especially if they take a particular fancy to Hugh Grant.