Loved This Movie But Now Have Insane Crush on Colin Firth!

Rating: 9/10 (25 April 2001)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually like the movie better than the book. My only disappointments were that the movie is way too short and that Colin Firth is not on-screen nearly enough.
The entire cast does a fantastic job of bringing Bridget Jones's quirky world to life. Renee Zellweger effectively portrays Bridget Jones as slightly ridiculous but lovable, and Hugh Grant and Colin Firth are perfect in their respective roles. It's certainly nice to see Hugh Grant finally take a break from the foppish, stuttering, self-deprecating persona he's been cultivating ever since Four Weddings & a Funeral---and his new buff look (as made evident in the lake/wet shirt scene) isn't bad either! I only wish the writers had come up with a reason to have Colin shirtless (or at least wet!)
As much as I enjoyed the movie, the reason I and my friends have already seen this movie several times and will buy the DVD the day it comes out is Colin Firth and his quietly (but devastatingly) mesmerizing performance. Several critics have commented that Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth have no chemistry, but I beg to differ. That very palpable chemistry (The way he looks at her when she's interviewing him? The incredibly charming cooking scene? The scene near the end where he leans down to kiss her on the cheek before she runs off to change into "genuinely tiny knickers"?) is what makes the ultimate resolution of the movie so satisfying.
Having long been a fan of British films, I've always been aware of Colin Firth as an accomplished actor (e.g., Another Country, A Month in the Country, Valmont), but it wasn't until Pride & Prejudice that it dawned on me that he was also incredibly attractive. He then went on to play rather unappealing characters in such films as Circle of Friends, The English Patient and Shakespeare in Love, and, me being the fickle fan that I am, forgot about my crush on him . . . until now. As a "serious actor," he seems to choose roles that will "challenge" him, and unfortunately for us besotted fans, they are often unattractive villains and cuckolds. But I've come to realize that the fact that he is so successful at masking his undeniable attractiveness is a testament to his extraordinary acting ability.
It was clear from Disney's marketing and PR campaign that they felt Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant would be the only draws here in the U.S., but I know a lot of people who went to see the movie because of Colin Firth. I can only hope this film will earn him the recognition of audiences (and studios) beyond the legions of women who fell in love with him in P&P. It'd certainly be wonderful to see him fulfill his promise as a leading man (a la Ralph Fiennes and Russell Crowe) and leave all those "character actor" roles behind him.
It looks like Working Title Films is already talking with Renee Zellweger about making the film version of "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason." Apparently, she's only interested if she doesn't have to gain weight again. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Colin Firth's desire to pursue more challenging roles doesn't keep him from signing on for the sequel. I can't imagine anyone else playing the role of Mark Darcy.
Finally, I'd just like to say that I wholeheartedly agree with other IMDB users who've described Colin Firth as "sex on a stick," "dreamy," "swoonsome," "a revelation," "beautiful," "delicious," "riveting" and weak-knee inducing. I wonder how many of us will be trekking to London next year to see him on-stage in Hamlet? SIGH . . .