Bridget Jones' Diary
Director: Sharon Maguire
Screenplay: Helen Fielding
2001
Bridget Jones' Diary is one of my favorite romcom movies of all time. It follows on the tradition of Jane Austen set in late 20th century London and it could never be any better than that.
Bridget (Renee Zelwegger) is the typical modern woman, or so she tries to be, but kept on failing along the way. Career success and romantic victories do not seem to be her cup of tea, but she keeps drinking from the cup and breaking it abysmally. Her parents' marriage are on the rocks and the man whom she thought could be "the one" is crossing the Atlantic for a lucrative job in international law. But, the hero of the tale, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) made a decision that rocked Bridget's world and, I have to say this, made her run in her undies in what seemed to be the coldest winter yet.
I have many favorite scenes from the movie, but this closure caps of everything in a classic, yet, funny and very Bridget HEA. Austen is there, yes. But Fielding and Maguire left their hand prints on this charming tale of love lost and found again. The screenplay is honest, witty, sarcastic and utterly true. Maguirre's direction is whole and solid in showing how Bridget comes full circle.
And so, in this season of the Epiphany, I write this review to remind myself (and I hope those who read my blog too) that enlightenment is not only the mind opening up and the heart welcoming all the unfamiliar and strange things that come with the discovery of love. To know and to feel love is also to act on that love.
Mark Darcy followed his star. Bridget ran after hers. Love makes us do crazy things including, breaking down our own walls of self preservation. And we become better persons from it, despite the challenges and hard ships of loving.
There is a part 2 and 3 of this movie. But that will wait for another review!
Rating: 4.5
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