Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (15)

Written by Helen Fielding and Andrew Davies, Directed by Beeban Kidron
On general release from 12th November 2004

Reviewed by Barbara Ford

FRIDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER

Dear Diary,
Went to the pictures today. Saw the new Bridget Jones movie. I don't get it. I mean, I read the book, "Bridget Jones's Diary", and didn't like it. A bit too light for me, no substance. Then I went to see the film of the book, and to my surprise, I enjoyed it. Now I have seen the sequel, 'Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason' and it was even better than the first one! Is that perverse of me? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? The film is always a disappointment after reading the book - isn't it? And sequels disappoint the disappointed?

Let's get this straight from the beginning. I am female. At the risk of offending the PC crowd, this film is a 'girly' film. So if you are a guy, and not in touch with your feminine side, stay away. My male partner (one of only 4 guys attending this film) enjoyed it immensely.

Helen Fielding's second B.J. novel, with screenplay and inevitably much reshaping by Andrew Davies, has now joined the 'Four Weddings...' stable of fluffy films, made to appeal to both sides of the Atlantic. The plot is predictable and sickly sweet at times (though there are one or two surprises), and the trend for adding vintage pop music to the soundtrack continues. These are not negative points, however. Put together with gorgeous blokes in the forms of Colin Firth (Darcy) and Hugh Grant (Cleaver), an endearing female character with self-esteem problems and a habit of comfort-eating, clever one-liners and some slapstick, plus (I won't be giving any of the plot away here) a happy ending, these make one helluva 'feel good' movie. By the way, the ending is left a little open. Will there be a third B.J. movie? I hope so, but only if the same actors are in the leading parts. Rene Zellweger is a delight to watch, a natural comic actor. Is there no end to her talents?

Something which I particularly enjoyed was looking out for allusions to Jane Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice' story, and also to the most recent TV production (also adapted by Andrew Davies), but I am over-intellectualising here. Just enjoy it for what it is. And girls, take some tissues with you.