Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding

When C.B. James posted his Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge, I immediately thought of reading and re-watching Bridget Jones's Diary. I saw the movie years ago and thought it was absolutely hysterical. I've been wanting to read the book for years, and the challenge gave me just the excuse to read it.

Bridget Jones is an early 30-something single woman working at a publishing company in London. Like most women, she is unhappy with her appearance and decides to go on a diet at the beginning of the year. Her diary chronicles her diet, but more than that, it chronicles her hilarious antics as she fumbles her way through life. She is infinitely likeable--she has the same insecurities that most of us have when we pursue relationships, hang out with friends, and deal with the eccentricities of our parents. Bridget's relationship with Daniel is really hilarious. She fumbles her way through whether or not to call him after their dates, checks her caller ID (and logs how many times she checks it in her diary), and engages in some comfort eating when things aren't going quite the way she envisioned them. Fielding wrote Bridget as a character all us ladies can relate to and did it in such a laughably, loveable way that I couldn't help but enjoy all the pages I was reading.

I also really enjoyed her mother's story. It was so much more scandalous than the film! Her mom went way over the top with the affair with her Portuguese lover, Julio. I couldn't believe how flippant her mom was as she hurt all her friends and family and didn't seem to really blink an eye. She was in total denial which was a little hard to read but was also like rubbernecking while on the freeway when there's a bad accident. You don't want to admit that you're intrigued, but you secretly are!

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I enjoyed Bridget's growing relationship with Mark Darcy, her relationship with her friends, and I loved how she flubbed through life with some, but not much grace. I rooted for her through the whole book because she's a person that I think most people could relate to. None of us have perfect lives, but to live life with a sense of humor makes it all worth it.


Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge


Film: Bridget Jones's Diary

I bought Bridget Jones's Diary on a whim about two years ago when it was on a super sale at Fry's after Christmas. I loved the movie when I saw it and had always wanted to own it. I've only watched it once since I bought it so I sat down and rewatched the film after I read the book.

It's pretty true to the book. There are some differences, but the tone and feel is all still the same. Like I said in the book review, Bridget's mother is way more scandalous with her lover in the book than the film. In the film, she runs off with this overly tanned, home shopping network guy who is totally high maintenance. I actually preferred the story in the book better, but I thought her story worked out well nicely on the screen the way it was written. I was really satisfied with the resolution with her family at the end of the film since it was a lighthearted, funny movie.

I also have to admit that I think the movie might have the best romantic quote of all time (although John Thornton's proposal to Margaret Hale in North and South has to be right up there in the running for best romantic quote of all time). It's the scene where Bridget goes to dinner at Magda and Jeremy's. They are having a smug married couples dinner and Bridget is the only single person there. When she's leaving, Mark follows her tells her, "I like you very much, just as you are." I'm not an overly romantic person, but this line made me smile and swoon just a little....ok, A LOT! It made me think, "Too bad real life isn't like that!" Of course, that's what's great about movies. It's not real, but it's a nice little little escape for a few hours.

For you non-romantic types, there's also a fight between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant which is one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in a movie. I laugh every time because I know that if I were ever to get into a fight, it would look something like that!

I love the entire cast of the movie and think they all embodied the roles from the book perfectly. Watching the movie this time around I also realized that Shirley Henderson who plays Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter movies is in it! Her character is named Jude who has a boyfriend with quite possibly the best name ever....Vile Richard. I also loved James Callis as Tom in the movie. I know this came out before Battlestar Galactica, but I have infinite love for the actors on that show and love watching James Callis in Bridget Jones's Diary.

I happily give this movie 5 stars. I loved it. So ladies, if you haven't watched the movie in awhile it's time to get together with your girlfriends, grab your favorite adult beverage, mix up some blue soup and marmalade, and pop the movie in to the DVD player for some good girl fun and laughs.