Bridget Jones was a mere fictional character reated by the author Helen Fielding until the year 2001 when she also came alive on our screens courtesy of Renee Zellweger. The first film version of the novel was a runaway success at the box office, and so followed the second film, based on the 2nd book Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. This one wasn't such a success but is still up there in my top ten films! Here goes the review of both films.
Bridget Jones' Diary: The film was released in 2001, and it is based upon the novel by Helen Fielding of the same name. Renee Zellweger brings to life the character of Bridget. At first I was very apprehensive about an American actress playing a quintessential British woman, but she manages to pull it off! She does a great English accent, and put on a few stone to make the character of Bridget realistic.
Her love interests are played by 2 of the best British actors of our time. Hugh Grant takes on his role as a cad, playing the dastardly womaniser Daniel Cleaver. Having only seen Hugh as the romantic male lead before, I absolutely loved him in this role, and I think he plays the villain superbly! Daniel and Bridget have a sexual banter between them, and Bridget is keen to make it more...
The other love interest in Bridget's life is her childhood" friend" Mark Darcy played by the fab Colin Firth. To be honest, I hadn't seen Colin in many films beforehand, so I just judged him on this film. He is fantastic, he plays the shy retiring Mark perfectly, yet shows an edge when he and Daniel come to blows. The fight scene between the 2 men is one of the funniest things I have ever seen on film!
Bridget has hit 30, and hates being single. She is working at a publishers doing a crap job, and is forever being told off by her boss Perpetua.She decides to change her image, and starts going into work dressed in tight tops and short skirts, both of which grab Daniel's attention. Cue some flirtatious emails and the pair hit it off. They begin to date, and eventually, after some persuasion from Briget, head off on a mini break together, only to bump into Mark Darcy and his business partner Natasha.
Daniel reveals a heart-breaking secret to do with Mark, and Bridget decides she does not want anything to do with Mark. Things go pear-shaped with Daniel, and she is invited to a party at Mark's house. It is announced that Natasha and Daniel are to marry and move to the USA. Bridget is devastated, but Mark reveals to her he "likes her just the way she is".
Bridget cooks a birthday dinner for herself, with a delightful blue soup to start with, when Mark pops over. The dinner with 3 of her friends goes well until Daniel turns up. Cue the hilarious fight scene. A few home truths come out, and Bridget is all but ready to go on holiday with her friends to Paris. She decides not to go, and the rest as they say is history...one of my favourite films ever.
Bridget Jones 2: The Edge of Reason Renee, Hugh and Colin are back for the second installment of the Bridget Jones films, released in 2004. Bridget's career in television isn't going anywhere, until she is picked by her boss to be the female presenter of a new travel show. Only problem is her co-star is her enemy, Daniel Cleaver.
Bridget is still dating Mark Darcy, and the pair seem blissfully happy. Bridget attends one of Mark's work functions, and trys to glamourous but it oesnt quite go to plan...even then Mark still loves her! Bridget pops round to Mark's one night and finds an attractive leggy brunette there called Rebecca, and Bridget of course jumps to the wrong conclusions! Then follows a disastrous ski trip and the pair decide they weren't meant to be.
So Bridget travels to Thailand, and takes her friend Shazzer played the hilarious comedy actress Sally Philips. Bridget almost reignites her relationship with Daniel but is given a lucky escape. She enjoys the rest of her holiday but things go wrong on the way home in the airport...a sniffer dog singles out Bridget and a holiday souvenir in her suitcase is found to contain cocaine!
Bridget is thrown into a Thai prison with 20 other Thai women, and is driven to despair. Will Daniel come to her rescue? Will Mark manage to get her out of prison? Or is he too bitter about their break up? Oh, and my favourite scene from the first movie is replicated again...but its even better!
The movie isn't as good as the first one but still has the English charm that the Bridget Jones' movies should have. Renee does a superb job as the British singleton, and really has a perfect British accent. Hugh and Colin are fab in their roles are English men, Hugh in particular is great as Daniel Cleaver, such a difference to his normal role! Both of these movies are really worth a watch!!
The third disc contains the following Bonus Features: Bridget Jones Diary Behind The Scenes Two Music Videos Colour Stills Bridget Jones Diary Deleted Scenes Feature Commentary The Mini Break To Austria Deleted Scenes A Smooth Guide To Exotic Thailand The Big Fight Mark And Bridget Forever Bridget Jones Interviews Colin Firth Lonely London Whos Your Man Quiz Bridget Jones A Cultural Icon World Tour Of The Premieres Bridgets Big Night Bridgets Interactive Map Of London
Bridget Jones Diary: Running Length: 93 minutes Available from 4.99
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason: 108 minutes Available from 4.99
This boxset retails for £12.97 NEW on amazon, but from £4.87 on the Amazon Marketplace.
