This does have quite a number of endearingly humorous moments but the film really could have done with some drastic clipping. Two hours long is too much to hold up the subject's original frothy attraction, and which is further weighted down by several more serious and reflective sections, which only seemed to pad it out without justification for doing so, whereas the film really needed to be sharp and concise to work at its best.
Renee Zellwegger reprises her role as the eponymous Londoner, Bridget, and virtually the entire film after setting up the premise, is which of two possibilities is the one-night-stand father of her expected baby - Colin Firth, with whom she willingly tumbles into bed after meeting up years later as he's going through a messy divorce, or American Patrick Dempsey, glitzy and hokey relationship adviser on TV, whom she meets at a rock music festival in circumstances which only happens in films. The single Ms Jones herself works as news supervisor on 'Hard News' TV channel, under an unsympathetic harridan of a female boss (hopelessly over-acting).
Emma Thompson (who also worked on the screenplay, along with Bridget Jones' creator, Helen Fielding) is the hospital obstetrician monitoring progress of the foetus.
I found this a rather tiring film to watch, with rather less sparkle than I'd been hoping for. It just about held my interest but I'm not sure the casts own hearts were in it that much.
Director Sharon Maguire, who did the first of this series, ('B. J.'s Diary') but not the second, seems rather reluctant during this film to let things go and leave it to our imagination to fill in the blanks. We don't need the reassurance of seeing it all on screen.
Incidentally, there was also a number of careless continuity errors I perceived, as well as the film having had a trailer containing a number of moments that were not in, presumably edited out of, the end product. I don't think I've seen so many - it almost seemed to be advertising on false pretenses.
This film certainly contains minutes of enjoyable entertainment, with a couple or more of LOL moments. It also fulfils its function in taking B.J.s story further, though not to a point where I'm especially eager to find out what happens next. A distinctly muted recommendation.................5.5.
I won't go see this...but just give me one night with colin firth (rawr!).
ReplyDeleteYou can not only have him, A.M., but you can keep him - please! Not that I dislike the man, but on the level that he pushes your buttons he completely misses mine. In this film I found Dempsey way the hotter of the two. But there's no denying that Firthy is a canny actor.
DeleteNo observation from you Ray on Renee's new "look. Since her plastic surgery she doesn't look like Renee anymore. I would find that development totally distracting unless they worked it into the script which they obviously did not. I only have two words to say "Jennifer Grey"
ReplyDeleteI quite purposely left out any reference to Renee's slimmed-down look, Ron, as John G. of 'Going Gently' had already done so in his equally largely dismissive view of a couple of days ago. I'd add that she also looks a whole lot older, but she is now playing the character in her early 40s, some 12 years later, so that is fair enough. There are a few, very few, oblique comments in the film regarding her loss of weight, but it's not made into a big deal - at least until she starts ballooning with the you-know-what.
ReplyDeleteI thought that I too would find her difference in appearance distracting but she does nail the character of Bridget as true as one could wish to the person of the earlier films that I soon forgot it.
I, among many, preferred her looks when she had 'embonpoint' but I didn't care enough to find out what happened, whether it was done on purpose or what, and still would rather not know. But I do still like her.
As for 'Jennifer Grey', you may not be all that surprised when I tell you I had to google the name. Now I know. I only saw 'Dirty D'ng' the once when it first came out so the name had slid from the memory banks. But now I see what the fuss had been about (I didn't know that there'd be any) and your reason for mentioning her is clear.
I always find that Renee Z walks like a duck or is doing ballet. Toes turned out. I am hoping to see this as it is not only a Chick flick it also has colin Firth in it. Pwoar!
ReplyDeleteHope you are keeping well and feeling better
I've always found her visually appealing, Sol, even though you're right about the way she holds herself. The look that she once had is, as you know, now quite transformed, though the essence of what she was is still there. But I definitely preferred her before.
DeleteA significant number enjoyed this film more than I did, and I really was looking forward to it. Perhaps you will too.
I'm feeling fine, thanks. Still waiting for a hospital appointment but I can only assume I'm low priority during the NHS's current problems. Corrective dental treatment hasn't even started and I've now learnt to live with the situation. Can do almost everything I did before - but not such things as biting into apples or raw carrots - and can now brush my teeth.
But there's no pain and no one can see anything different - until I open my my mouth, then - Aaaaaaargh!