Bridget Jones' Diary: The Edge of Reason for being a hopeless romantic

Title:
Bridget Jones’ Diary: The Edge of Reason (B+)
PH Release Date:
December 1, 2004
Actors:
Renee Zellwegger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones
Director:
Beebam Kidroa
Based on the novel by:
Helen Fielding
Screenplay:
Andrew Daniels, Helen Fielding and Richard Curtis
Design / Photography:
Gemma Jackson/ Adrian Biddle
Producer:
Adam Brooks and Tim Bewan
Studio:
UIP, Studio Canal, Miramax

Big Lawyer, Big Liar, BIG Bridget….

They’re all back and I’m just as excited to see this new installment of this woman’s misadventure. As expected I haven’t had the chance to read this book simply because I don’t like reading. But that doesn’t mean I can’t judge this movie even if I haven’t read the book (that sounded funnier in my head). After 54 (or maybe more than that) shags, Bridget finally thinks she’s found the right guy. The guy he can spend the rest of her carbo-full life with. And that guy is Mark Darcy (Firth), the almost perfect man who works as a human rights lawyer. Everything is seamless tetra pack until reality came knocking on Bridget’s door, carrying two people, Mark’s assistant and her almost perfect shag Hugh Grant (I can’t remember his name in this movie). Is Bridget going to end up with the hog raiser Mark? Or Hugh the butcher?

The first Bridget Jones’ movie was just plain funny and bloody brilliant. I fell in love with Renee’s character. I mean who wouldn’t be? She’s the absolute damsel in distress plus the hilarious antics. In this second installment, I didn’t fall out of love. In fact I even fell more in love with the character cuz it got more real than I possibly imagine.

Some may argue (as if I care) that this movie is just another tiring rom-com that does nothing but make people think that there’s a happily ever after waiting for all of us. Well it is not. And it was even shown in the movie. Bridget may have had a happy ending (oops, I slipped) but some of her elephantmate clearly didn’t. I love the way this movie was written. It wasn’t pretending to be anything than a romantic comedy, but it’s much deeper than that. It was funny and absolutely entertaining, but what makes it better is that it’s more relatable. Most of the things that happened to her are actually those that we experienced a month ago (okay, the sharing stops here).

The direction was good. In all technical aspects it was excellent. The production design helped a lot in radiating the emotions of the audience. It’s actually quite noticeable that there’s not much difference with its predecessor. Everything looked and felt unerringly the same.

Renee may not nab another Oscar nomination for this one but she did just as great. One thing I truly admire about her is how she’s able to change her size in a short period of time without dying. After she made the first movie, she had to be almost as anorexic as Mary Kate for her role in Chicago where she showed just how fatless she was during her famous mugshot (is this how u spell it) and Cold Mountain. And then she have to return to her full size again for this one. Honestly, Hugh Grant isn’t even half the talent Colin Firth is. Hugh was Hugh, I have not seen him in any movie where he actually acts. All he does is look cute, act cute (okay so he acts) as if he’s still cute with all his marks of being 40 hangin’ round his face. It’s such a pity that Colin is way too underrated as an actor, even in the billing he’s only third. Just proves how you can’t really have it all.

Overall it’s a perfect date movie, watching it alone will not be suicide but I’m telling you it won’t be as satisfying. It’s full of “kilig” moments best felt when your hand is on somebody else’s palm. I won’t say that it’s better than the first one, but I can tell you that this movie will convince you that there’s someone meant for you, maybe not as perfect as you think it is, and no matter what size they are they can still shag just as good. Aheheh…