"Bridget Jones's Diary" is presented as a movie about a British woman who is seeking love and self-improvement over the course of a year. Unfortunately, neither the titular character, barely played by Renee Zellweger (three moves: tilt-headed surprise, squint-eyed smile, squint-eyed pout), nor the screenplay give more than lip service to these stated goals. During the course of this extremely forgettable movie, we see no evolution whatsoever on the part of any of the characters, least of all Bridget, who ultimately settles for a relationship with the non-existent (both in script and onscreen) Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), solely on the strength that he "likes her, just as she is".
Hugh Grant, meanwhile, turns in another performance as...well...Hugh Grant. As Daniel Cleaver, Bridget's boss and 'love' interest, he is no different from any of the other characters that we have all seen him play. He grins oafishly, fails to make eye contact, and stammers through lacking explanations of his actions, all of which is admittedly charming and endearing, but also happens to be completely misplaced, given the fact that he is supposed to be the 'bad boy' of the movie.
There is also a throwaway sub-plot revolving around the marital problems of Bridget's parents that completely defies explanation, and does nothing to move the plot, shed any light on Bridget's relationships, or add to viewer enjoyment.
All in all, it was a shame to see what was obviously trying to be a light, fun movie with a message about women having the confidence to define themselves in their own eyes and being comfortable with their own lives and expectations, rather than those of society, so horribly miss the mark.
