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Entertainment
Bridget Jones's Diary
HER LIFE is a mess! She's 32, single, overweight, chain-smokes and likes to drink alone while singing ``All By Myself'' at the top of her lungs. And every Christmas and New Year is spent with her dysfunctional parents, her mother particularly, trying to get her hitched to an eligible guy! Guess what? Nothing ever works. And then one Christmas, she is introduced to a rich, divorced barrister, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) who is dour, rude and wears the most unbearable clothes. Well she's had it. She's going to turn her life around once and for all and starts by keeping a diary to keep track of all her New Year resolutions. You've got to see what follows!
Universal Pictures, Miramax Films, ``Bridget Jones Diary," adapted from a book by the same name by Helen Fielding (which became a best seller) is a delightful comedy which is unabashedly ribald where the protagonist has a no holds barred approach to men and to life. Translating the funny exploits of a thirty-plus something, single Londoner on to celluloid, must have been a rather daunting task. The audience sometimes misses the punch lines delivered in the true British style. One can hardly miss them while reading the book. Bridget's new year resolutions start with her putting an end to dates with slimy men who have only their good looks going for them. But before the ink dries on that one, she finds herself drawn to her good looking playboy of a boss, Daniel Cleaver, who woos her through messages on the computer.
Her confusion is further confounded when she finds herself face to face with Darcy who seems to turn up at the most inopportune moment with an unreasonable dislike for Daniel. On top of that, the publishing house she works for makes her do a presentation where her introductions are simply appalling but are largely forgiven by her boss blinded as he is with her skimpy clothes.
Bridget may seem like she is out of her mind most of the times but compared to most others in the plot, including her smug married friends and parents, she seems to be the one to be better off.
The film directed by Sharon Maguire has style — it strings together one funny set piece after another.
As Bridget, Renee Zellweger, Texan actress, is rather wonderful! Right from her British accent to her podgy, open face (which has been worked upon, she had to perforce put on weight for the role) to her clumsy mannerisms that really endears her to the viewers. She charts her progress along the way from the tragic spinster to the wanton sex goddess very charmingly. Hugh Grant is perfect as the cad Daniel. Colin Firth goes about looking grim and boring but then he is obviously made for her and he likes her just the way she is. And that for Bridget is good enough! Co-writers, Helen fielding, Andrew Davis, Richard Curtis, put in some dialogue that is truly hilarious. And though the camera creates a London that is more dreamlike than it is in reality it does not detract from the main proceedings. Coming from the team that brought out ``Notting Hill" and ``Four Weddings And A Funeral," this one is something you will find hard to protest about!
CHITRA MAHESH
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