Renee Zwellweger, Colin Firth And Hugh Grant return in the further adventures of Bridget Jones.
--Randy
Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004)
Directors: Beeban Kidron
Producers: Beeban Kidron
Writers: Andrew Davies, Helen Fielding, Richard Curtis And Adam Brooks
Features: N/a
Characters:
Bridget Jones...Renee Zellweger
Mark Darcy...Colin Firth
Daniel Cleaver...Hugh Grant
Rebecca...Jacinda Barrett
Mum...Gemma Jones
Genre: Comedy
Review:
I didn't see the first Bridget Jones movie, "The Diary Of Bridget Jones," starring Renee Zellweger as the plumpish Englishwoman, so I can't make any comparisons. All I know is that this second picture called "Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason" isn't so great. It's all right and won't send you running from the theater, but it is certainly lackluster. It's almost like the creative people involved had tried so hard to catch the same flavor as the first movie that they didn't want to take any chances by straying too far into anything radically different. They played it safe, something like that British saying, "Safe as milk." And as we all know milk is a little bland. Of course, I'm a guy and I may be missing something a woman would see. Since this film centers on Bridget Jones and her love relationships I may have a lot less interest in it than a woman might. So, for guys this movie won't make it. For women, I don't know. Women may be able to fixate on the love angles and be content.
Watching a fat woman being sought after by somewhat normal looking guys is not something I'm used to seeing. I've been raised in the status quo and can't readily change. I can see why women would like this storyline. Why lose weight when guys will still seek you out-no wonder Bridget Jones is a heroine to so many women. Why give up eating chocolate bon bons when a fantasy like this could replace reality. Fantasy it is though or why else would actress Renee Zellweger have to be cajoled with extra money to reprise her role for which she knows she would have to gain weight. You can bet she lost no time in getting rid of her extra poundage once this film was finished.
The movie starts out as Bridget Jones recounts in her new diary about the bliss of her continuing love for Mark Darcy(Colin Firth), a human rights lawyer of some distinction. Bridget is gaga over him like a junior high school girl and worries constantly that she is not good enough to fit into his social circle which she isn't. Adding to her worries is this beautiful, slim young woman named Rebecca(Jacinda Barrett) who is an associate of Mark Darcy's and always seems to be present whenever Bridget tries to see him. Feeling squeezed, Bridget is soon putting pressure on Mark for more of a committment which strains the relationship they do have.
The first quarter of "Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason" was actually pretty good. I had not encountered the personality of Bridget Jones before so it was amusing to watch her clutziness and ineptitude around her boyfriend. Bridget likes to just stare at Mark while he sleeps whereupon he will mutter beneath closed eyes for her to stop. Renee Zellweger is very good at depicting this person of British ancestry. Zellweger has the pasty white skin and weight to physically be Bridget Jones. With a nice British accent going for her it is very easy to see why a sequel was made to the very successful first film. This great acting job wears thin after a while. Soon the plump jokes are exhausted and likewise for the clumsiness of Bridget Jones. I mean you can only stumble and fall so many times before the routine gets tiring. After that there doesn't seem more to the picture than Bridget Jones shooting eye daggers at Rebecca whenever they come across each other. This was undoubtedly why Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver is brought back from the first movie. Hugh Grant as the bad cad sparks up the movie for a while but nothing is going to happen with the mismatched couple. Bridget is still in love with Mark Darcy and that is that. With this plotline having run it's course then a women's prison in Thailand pops up to further stimulate the storyline. While this does make for an interesting development it is a little far out from what has come before to make for a comfortable fit. I know earlier I had complained about the 'safe as milk' attitude, but this departure is clearly ludicrous. Now the movie is clearly in trouble. The film loses it's naturalness and comes in for a very weak finish.
A good example of one of the problems in the screenplay is the introduction of a corpulent male lawyer at a dinner function that Bridget attends. This actor looks like a British version of actor Jeff Garlin from "Daddy Day Care" and the television show "Curb Your Enthusiasm." He comments on his and Bridget's ostracism by the main partygoers. Later he and the omnipresent Rebecca are with Mark and Bridget on a ski vacation and then he is not seen until the very end of the movie. What exactly was his purpose? Was there originally more to him? Was he written almost out and why almost and not all the way? Why?
Like some of the recent British imports such as "Love Actually" this movie has a very strong soundtrack. I notice that the director and writer of that film, Richard Curtis, is also on board the screenwriting team of this film so it is not hard to guess as who to thank. Many of the songs come from the seventies with some current songs included. Some songs seem to be only snatches of a chorus though should show up as a whole on the soundtrack. The James Bond theme "Nobody Does It Better" is used early on to describe Bridget's bliss. There are not one, but two tributes to Madonna in the plot of "Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason" and as far as I know Guy Ritchie had nothing to do with this movie. Perhaps, director Beeban Kidron is edging toward getting the Material Girl to appear in one of his future projects. Beware for what you wish for considering Madonna's track record in movies.
"Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason" takes off gracefully, but never acheives full flight and comes in with a pancake landing. I would give it two stars out of five.
----Randy