#08: BRIDGET JONES: ABOUT A BOY

STARRING: Renee Zallweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson and for some in explicable reason, Islas Fisher. Screenplay by Helen Fielding, Dan Bazer and Abi Morgan. Directed by Michael Morris. Budget $50 million. Running time 125 minutes. 

The title is misleading and the trailers have lied to you. The 'boy' of the film is not the focus of this very bittersweet romp but rather a stepping stone to true love, and rather than being yet another light-hearted romantic romp about the love-life of a scatter-brained career woman, it's a rather emotional exploration on the impact of grief when the one true love of your life up and dies and leaves you all alone and bringing up two rather horrible children, and it's all the better for it. The touching moments come unexpectedly from the relationship between Renee's Bridget and Hugh Grants Daniel Cleaver, who's grown from a drunken lothario into a true friend, one who babysits Bridget's truly terrible children whenever she's out on a date. The film comes alive when we see Bridget interacting with the likes of her children's school teacher, Mr. Scott Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and her new, 20 year-younger love interest, Roxster (Leo Woodall). While you'll find yourself truly hating her old friends who come across as a group of horribly self-centred, self-serving and conceited arseholes who throw horrible advice at Bridget every opportunity they get and think it's absolutely fine to just drink galleon sized glasses of red wine every chance they can.

Weirdly enough, I rather enjoy the Bridge Jones films and have marvelled at Renee for her portrayal of Bridget, her accent is a delight and she enhabits the role almost like a second skin. She somehow makes Bridget believable, even if her insane London town house isn't. This is filled with fine jokes and I think the Helen Fielding script enhances the film by helping to craft something that isn't you standard generic romcom, something altogether more emotional.

The only fly in the ointment is the running time, which far outlasts the concept and you'll find yourself wishing the film could have gotten to its conclusion 30 minutes sooner, particularly when the main plot point of the whole film is concluded with half way through the movie. 

Nevertheless, this was a great date night movie and one which gave both me and Pet much to discuss, particularly the type of "Do you think you'll date someone after I die?" conversation. Which, Pet answered by saying: "God no, I'd relish the quiet." Happy Valentines everyone.

7/10