Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #938 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-12-20
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 93 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Featuring a blowzy, winningly inept size-12 heroine, Bridget Jones's Diary is a fetching adaptation of Helen Fielding's runaway bestseller, grittier than Ally McBeal but sweeter than Sex and the City. The normally sylphlike Renée Zellweger (Nurse Betty, Me, Myself and Irene) wolfed pasta to gain poundage to play "singleton" Bridget, a London-based publicist who divides her free time between binge eating in front of the TV, downing Chardonnay with her friends, and updating the diary in which she records her negligible weight fluctuations and romantic misadventures of the year. Things start off badly at Christmas when her mother tries to set her up with seemingly standoffish lawyer Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), whom Bridget accidentally overhears dissing her. Instead she embarks on a disastrous liaison with her raffish boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, infinitely more likeable when he's playing a baddie instead of his patented tongue-tied fops). Eventually, Bridget comes to wonder if she's let her pride prejudice her against the surprisingly attractive Mr. Darcy.

If the plot sounds familiar, that's because Fielding's novel was itself a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, whose romantic male lead is also named Mr. Darcy. An extra ironic poke in the ribs is added by the casting of Firth, who played Austen's haughty hero in the acclaimed BBC adaptation of Austen's novel. First-time director Sharon Maguire directs with confident comic zest, while Zellweger twinkles charmingly, fearlessly baring her cellulite and pulling off a spot-on English accent. Like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill (both of which were written by this film's coscreenwriter, Richard Curtis), Bridget Jones's stock-in-trade is a very English self-deprecating sense of humour, a mild suspicion of Americans (especially if they're thin and successful), and a subtly expressed analysis of thirtysomething fears about growing up and becoming a "smug married." The whole is, as Bridget would say, v. good. --Leslie Felperin

Synopsis
Based on the novel by Helen Fielding. This is the story of a year in the life of Bridget Jones, a thirty-something woman, obsessed with her love life, weight, cigarette and alcohol intake. She falls for her boss, Daniel Cleaver, but when she discovers he is being less than faithful, her attention turns to the handsome Mark Darcy...

Customer Reviews

A modern spin on Pride and Predjudice
The story of Bridget Jones first began as a diary collumn in a newspaper, rose to success in book form (then it's sequel) and then finally hit the movies in 2001 with Briget played quite perfectly by the lovely Renee Zellwegger.

This modern take on Pride and Predjudice follows the female protagonist Briget Jones who decides to keep a diary of her life; unlike the Mary-Jane all too perfect characters in most stories and movies of today, Bridget is quite literally EVERY woman you've ever known.

Bridget is a 30-something urban singleton on the look for love - perhaps in the wrong places. She's an ever so slightly overweight (Zellwegger put on weight specifically for the movie) office worker who reads self-help books religiously, and fantasizes about mini-breaks with the perfect man. She counts alcholic units and cigarettes, and weighs herself every day. Despite her intelligence she often says the wrong thing and makes a fool of herself, but does so in a very dignified and honest way that makes her character so loveable.

Her mother is no help and tries to set her up with a snobby human-rights Lawyer by the name of Mark Darcy, however all goes awry with this as Bridget accidentally sabbotages the relationship before it even starts off.

All is not lost though, as Bridget somehow manages to get the attention of her womanizing rogue of a boss, Daniel Cleaver (with a very short skirt and perhaps a little help from scary granny stomach-holding-in-knickers). And while that seems to be going well, things turn bad very quickly when her mother and father's relationship hits the rocks and her mother runs off with a fake-tanned shopping channel presenter by the name of Julian. While Bridget tries to convince herself what she has with Daniel Cleaver is love, Mark Darcy (who she runs into at various points) tries to politely convince her otherwise and doing so most inadequately.

Full of surprising twists, some very funny scenes that will leave you giggling your head off.

This is the one film that every woman will be able to relate to, young or old. Even Men will enjoy this one as it's a true glimpse into the female psyche (the one we all try to hide).

BridgetMustHave
This film is so amazing and funny. I love it. I think it is fantastic and is definatly a good buy.

Fantastic, hilarious film to watch over and over again!
One of my favourite ever films, that you can watch over and over again. Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is halarious , and the supporting cast are also fantastic.

Bridget at first swoons over the gorgeous, charming, but extremely mischevious Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). Although she thinks he's perfect, before long he's cheated on her with an 'American stick insect'.

After a lot of hate and arguments she finally falls for Mr. Perfect Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) who is a loving, gentlemen like character that 'likes her just as she is'.

The film is fantasic and will give you plenty of laughs from start to finish whilst also getting to look at the gorgeous Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. A must see film for every girl out there - with of course a fairy tale ending! Ahh