BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Bridget Jones's Diary is one of the most popular romantic comedies to date and that's mainly because of its title character as portrayed by Renee Zellweger. Bridget is an average woman in her early thirties struggling to find love, give up smoking and drinking and lose weight. However, that all changes when she begins dating Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), her charming boss who she has had a crush on ever since she began working there. Unfortunately, Bridget soon realises he's not the perfect man she thought he was and considers dating Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), a serious barrister, after he tells Bridget that he likes her 'just the way she is'. 

It's no surprise that Zellweger was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as the likable Bridget. Many people were shocked when it was announced she was to portray Bridget, however, those doubts soon disappeared and audiences were captivated. One of the reasons why Bridget is a really likable protagonist is because many people, mainly women, could relate to her and her situations. She also has a lot of one liners which, thanks to Zellweger's comedic timing. There are a lot of other actresses who were in the running to play Bridget but I doubt any of them could've portrayed her as well as Zellweger. 

Grant is great as Daniel. In the 1990s, he starred in a few romantic comedies and always played the likable character. However, in the beginning of the film, we like Daniel and want Bridget's relationship with him to be successful but we soon hate him after he cheats on her. Like Bridget, he has a lot of funny one liners which make him likable at first.

Firth is perfect for Mark Darcy. When we first meet him, he insults Bridget accidentally in front of her and we mainly see him as an annoying and serious man. We don't believe he's suitable for Bridget until he tells her that he likes her 'just the way she is' and we see another softer side for him. 

While this film has a lot of romance, there's still plenty of comedy. The comedy mainly comes from Bridget and her way of dealing with things and her clumsiness but also from the fight sequence between Mark and Daniel towards the end of the film. This is definitely one of the most entertaining scenes in the film as we're deciding who we should be rooting for much like Bridget's friends. 

It's been almost two decades since its release and it's still one of the most popular romantic comedies today which isn't a surprise. 

Overall, with a brilliant performance from Renee Zellweger, this is one of my favourite romantic comedies.

8/10

Read my review of Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason here.

Read my review of Bridget Jones's Baby here.