Tries too hard

Rating: 5/10 (25 April 2018)

As a rom com, this film had humor and romance, but the two didn't mesh well. It was so often cringe-worthy in its attempt to over-normalize Bridget, making audiences truly pity her rather than relate. Even the most socially awkward of us don't spit out our thoughts at the most inappropriate times as she does. Colin Firth managed to portray charm and endearment while remaining externally aloof and haughty, nailing the ideal romantic interest in a way less obvious than usual. Unfortunately Hugh Grant did not pull off the same feat, making it hard to like Daniel Cleaver even in his romantic moments, making the ending all the more predictable to anyone in the audience unaware of the original novel the film is based on, Pride and Prejudice. As a modern adaptation of the classic, it's not as progressive as I'd hoped, with Bridget Jones still seeming too helpless and the male characters still too dominating when not downright harassing, making it seem as if Jones can't handle herself, very unlike the original heroine Lizzie Bennet. All in all, it was an entertaining film that just tried too hard to be relatable, but captured a sweet romantic ending. Perfect for a lonely night in.