This is for you BJ

Bridget Jones: A Review of Sorts 

First off I am a little in shock that it has been 15 years since I saw Bridget Jones Diary first in the theatre with B. B alerted me that the third installment was to be released September 16th and that we should go see it. Of course we live in different cities now. So much has changed. It is strangely fitting that Bridget is having a baby when this is the year of the baby for me and will also be for B. In a haze of happy feel good remembrance I told B I intended to re-watch both Bridget Jones's Diary & Bridget Jones's The Edge of Reason and review them on my blog. So this first installment review is for you B! (And you my lucky blog readers by consequence...)

I resurrected my Bridget Jones DVDs to re-watch. (Here is a little fascinating trivia, as B is the king of trivia: The first DVD players and discs were made available in November 1996 in Japan, March 1997 in the United States, 1998 in Europe and in 1999 in Australia.) Re-watching films always highlights changes in communication & technology. Remember the bondi blue iMac G3s, Nokia cell phones, MSN messenger? Even so Bridget Jones is just as fantastic re-watching as the first time I saw it in the theatre. Of course I have watched BJD many times over. I'd watch it more frequently but L is not a fan. What is up with that!

The movie opens brilliantly with the turkey curry buffet that Bridget Jones's mother of the era of pickles on toothpicks sophistically hosts. Bridget arrives in an outfit that her mother deems not festive enough and requests she change into an outfit she has lain out for her on her bed. (Or is it layed or laid... all my grammar peeps help me out on this.) Bridget is introduced to Darcy.  She awkwardly and effectively bumbles & rambles on when she and he are left alone together until she finally stops herself, "...ah! New Year's Resolution: drink less... and quit smoking... and quit talking total nonsense to strangers... actually, quit talking, full stop. ."

Bridget resolves something needs to change, she has got to get her act together over the course of the upcoming year.  She sets forth to keep a diary with the following resolutions: "Resolution #1: Uggg - will obviously lose 20 lbs. #2: Always put last night's panties in the laundry basket. Equally important: will find nice sensible boyfriend and stop forming romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, sexaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, or perverts. Will especially stop fantasizing about a particular person who embodies all these things. " The Atlantic Monthly in April of this year argues that BJD holds up because it predicted the age of oversharing. Instead of a diary the Bridget Jones of today would have likely started a blog or more likely been on snapchat. Perhaps why I relate and so many others do to Bridget is the ever constant self-improvement kicks I put myself on. Most of my obsessing also follows along these three veins...lose weight, be more organized/tidy, and form fulfilling relationships. While Bridget does not technically overshare on the internet the narrative lends itself to being privy to her inner world. Bridget relate-ability (is that even a word?) is in this access to her inner thoughts.

Truly my favorite parts in the movie are these moments when we have access to her inner thoughts because really sometimes I think Bridget Jones is in my head. For instance probably my favorite, embarrassingly enough, is when she is talking to a friend over the phone at work and her manager stops by her desk. She switches to talking to her friend as if she is talking to an author.

BRIDGET: Thank you for calling, Professor Leavis. 

Guest list for launch party.

DANIEL: Was that...F.R. Leavis?

BRIDGET: Mm-hmm.

DANIEL: Wow

BRIDGET: Huh.

DANIEL: The F.R. Leavis... who wrote "Mass Civilization and Minority Culture"?

BRIDGET: Mm-hmm.

DANIEL: The F.R. Leavis who died in 1978.     Amazing.

Across the screen appears what Bridget is thinking. It rhymes with luck but is drawn out as it would sound if luck were spelled like this luuuuuuuuuuuuuk. Introductions are also illustrative. Often I will avoid introducing individuals because in the moment I cannot remember their names. It is really awful! Bridget's speech is a solid fail as she tries to recall Mr. Fitzherbert's name, but if your like me you feel for her.

Bridget is an endearing character. "It's the truth universally acknowledged...that the moment one area of your life starts going OK...another part of it falls spectacularly to pieces." Despite finding herself in awkward and embarrassing situations Bridget rolls with it. Case in point is when she is invited to a Vicars & Tarts party only to arrive to find the theme has been cancelled and she is dressed in bunny ears and fishnet stockings. She always seems to have a certain grace & poise or the occasional witty comeback. Take in point the smug married couples dinner Bridget is invited to:

COSMO: Seriously, though. Offices full of single girls in their thirties-- fine physical specimens... but they just can't seem to hold down a chap.

WONEY: Yes. Why is it...there are so many unmarried women in their thirties...these days, Bridget?

BRIDGET: Oh, I don't know! Suppose it doesn't help that underneath our clothes... our entire bodies are covered in scales.

Oh to have more poise!

In this film we find ourselves cheering for Bridget as she quits her job, finds a new job that she seems to really enjoy even if it is a little slapstick and she is embarrassed by her performance in. On the tail of these successes she decides to celebrate by inviting her friends over for her celebratory birthday. "Oh, joy. I am broadcasting genius. Celebrating by cooking birthday feast for close friends.  Have sneaking suspicion... am also something of a genius in the kitchen as well." It is November now and the year has almost come to a close. Despite not having met her resolution to lose 20 pounds or find a boyfriend she is happy. Bridget in a bold move, as always Bridget does, decides to cook not an average dinner, but an elaborate dinner. Haven't we all been there trying out a new recipe on our guests? or if you don't cook inviting your friends, family or guests to an event/activity that is a flop? Bridget's soup is a glorious robin's egg blue thanks to the blue string she tied the celery with.

Truly, I have never loved Mr. Darcy and have never really understood the charm of Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice so I never really rooted for Colin Farrell in this film. Just imagine Colin Farrell or Hugh Grant saying, "Right, then" and you may be able to understand. Even though the character of Hugh Grant is a scoundrel and breaks Bridget's heart there are a number of hilarious scenes involving Hugh Grant.   The scene where Bridget & Daniel go on a mini break is hilarious with Daniel (Hugh Grant) raring with the engine and especially as Bridget tries for a Grace Kelly elegant look and ends up with rocker chick hair from the 80's. Another equally wonderful moment is when Daniel tries to board her boat and ends up in the tullies. And the icing on the cake is the cat fight at the end of the film between Daniel and Darcy. Hugh Grant is probably one of my favorite actors, and so, even though he is ridiculous, and awful I still have a soft spot for him which is Bridget's undoing too we will see as Daniel ends up in each sequel. I'm looking forward to the final installment in this series because it has been a long time since I have seen Hugh Grant in a comedy.

Tell me do you fancy Bridget Jones as much as I? Will you be also renting a chair at your local theatre on September 16th to see the sequel? And what may I ask is up with the theatre's now having  premium seating where if we so choose to be upgraded must pay $2 extra on our ticket prices to be centre and 3/4 up in the theatre stands for the best view!! So much for actually getting to the theatre early to secure those seats.