It was only a matter of time before British columnist Helen Fielding’s cult icon Bridget Jones, a 30-ish single gal who fears she’s on the verge of spinster-dom, became the subject of a movie. And why not? Fielding’s take on the dating rituals of a smoking, drinking, gullible London dweller who sets New Year’s Resolutions to improve her love life was so accurate and amusing, audiences on either side of the “”pond”” could relate.
What fans didn’t expect was the casting of Renee Zellweger – a full-blown Yank and a Texan, to boot – in the lead. But it’s gutsy moves like that, among others, that prevents “”Bridget Jones”” from becoming another predictable, forgettable romantic comedy and turning it into a memorable event. Bridget, 32 and up to about 22 cigarettes a day, resolves to stop drinking, smoking and fantasizing about her boss, dashing publisher Daniel Carver (Hugh Grant). She even agrees to keep track of her progress in a diary, where she also muses about the state of her friends, family and social circle, which up until now consisted of turning away priggish divorcees her mother tries to set her up with, like the terse Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Of course, the more she ignores Daniel, the more he’s attracted to her, and the two start up a bumbling affair. A pattern establishes itself in time, for Bridget’s torrid tryst with Daniel catches Mark’s eye, despite the fact that he’s attached to icy attorney Natasha (Embeth Davidtz). However, the tension between these two men – who used to be college chums – isn’t new, and Bridget learns that another woman once separated them. Will it happen again?First-time director Sharon Maguire employs various clever devices to get us inside Bridget’s head. For instance, when she’s caught in a lie by her attractive boss, curse words scroll across the bottom of the screen. But even when we’re not allowed to read Jones’s thoughts, Zellweger’s illuminated features spell out exactly what we’re thinking, helping us relate.””Diary”” also packs the exact same type of quirky British humor we’ve grown accustomed to thanks to Grant’s other pics like “”Notting Hill”” and “”Four Weddings and a Funeral.”” These comedies lead us to believe that London is crawling with smart-alecks and sharp-witted wise-acres who wash their jagged barbs down with unfiltered Camels and vodka, on the rocks. I’ve yet to go to London, but before I do, I’m going to have to sharpen my one-liners.The very idea of casting Zellweger as Jones must have sent shockwaves through the foggy countryside. Once you think about it, though, Zellweger’s distinctive traits, from the squinty smile and every-girl enthusiasm to her and healthy dose of self-doubt, make her the perfect choice to fill Bridget’s knickers. As she has in the past, Zellweger plays Bridget as a regular girl who constantly buries her shining character traits, and its this refined unawareness of self that makes her so attractive.Grade: B+THE EXTRASMiramax pads their “”Bridget Jones”” DVD with adequate extras, and fans of the film won’t be disappointed. Maguire sits down for a feature-length audio commentary, displaying a sense of humor that fits this project like a glove. There’s also an original “”Behind The Scenes”” piece that sets itself up like Bridget’s Diary, and manages to interview Maguire, Fielding and the film’s stars.Original features on the disc include a selection of Fielding’s extremely clever “”Bridget Jones”” columns as they first appeared in a London newspaper. With source material like this, it’s easy to see how screenwriters Richard Curtis and Andrew Davies were able to construct their witty script. Miramax also includes seven deleted scenes, a few of which could have remained in the short 98-minute finished film without harm. The DVD goes on to feature two songs that I couldn’t remember from the film, which is odd because the soundtrack of classic tunes like “”I’m Every Woman”” and Jamie O’Neal’s “”All By Myself”” plays such a significant part in the action. Still, the DVD offers Shelby Lynne’s generic “”Killin’ Kind,”” as well as “”Out of Reach”” by Gabrielle. Final Grade: BBy Peter J. HannahOct. 20, 2001