| Cigarettes, alcohol units and inner poise (v.g.)
REVIEW
BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY
Starring Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth
Directed by Sharon Maguire
Opens Friday, April 13
Check listings
Monday 9 April, 10 a.m.
Am totally shocked to find that the print of Bridget Jones's Diary is going to be 20 minutes late, as can hardly wait to see film version of such a splendid book!
Expectations will surely be running high for the adaptation of Helen Fielding’s book, which appealed to so many. Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is a 32-year-old singleton who, over the course of a year, finds herself caught between two men: her contemptible and dashing boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and the aloof and devastatingly handsome Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).
Bridget Jones’s Diary is extremely funny, and while fans of the book will discover several changes involving major plot points, director Sharon Maguire – along with writers Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and A Funeral), Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice) and Helen Fielding – reveals humour in the film’s details. Some of the dialogue has been written to accommodate American audiences, but not too much of the Britain-specific humour has been sacrificed. The pacing, however, is slightly off and some foreign conventions are creeping into the contemporary London setting.
Zellweger is perfect as the cute and puffy Jones, and her very British accent is thorough and constant. It is also a relief to see Grant in a role that buries his floppy-haired, bumbling nice guy image. He wears this new character well, and plays quite the foil to Firth’s Mr. Darcy – a role that was very obviously written just for him. The rest of the cast is laced with favourites from the British stage and screen, including Jim Broadbent and Honor Blackman, which makes the film even more joyous to watch.
Cinematically, Bridget Jones does not radiate with style – sweeping camera moves and beautiful lighting are employed only at chosen moments, which prevent the film from looking bland, but also maintain the importance of substance over flair.
An in-depth comparison between the book and the film is not necessarily warranted because the two are very different, with separate indulgences and individual strengths. Ultimately, Fielding’s characters are what will keep people interested, whether turning a page or taking a seat. |
