The Film
Singletons rejoice! Lionsgate has finally given Bridget Jones her own Blu-ray.
Renée Zellweger snagged a ton of press for her role in 2001's Bridget Jones's Diary, before the film was even released. Bridget was a staple of British literature, and Zellweger is very much a Texas girl. Then, of course, there was a lot of buzz about the whole 20-pound weight gain. It's not exactly De Niro and Raging Bull, but weight gain in the actress world is like dog years -- so you can multiply it by seven.
It didn't really matter, though, because Zellweger fills out those knickers quite nicely. Besides being able to pull off the accent, she actually made Bridget quirky, cute and funny. Why else would Hugh Grant and Colin Firth be willing to fight (in a very girlie manner) for her hand?
If you don't know that answer and are a fan of the romantic comedy genre, Bridget Jones's Diary is an absolute must-see.
One guy that probably won't fight for Bridget's honor or any other part of her is Mark Grady. Check out his theatrical review of Bridget Jones's Diary.
The Picture
Without a doubt, Blu-ray suits Bridget Jones just fine. It's nothing to write about in your diary, but it's a nice little upgrade overall. The 2.35:1 transfer is clean, and offers a lot of natural colors. The blue curtains at the Christmas party seem a little over-saturated, but the rest is pretty spot-on. There's also a good amount of detail over the DVD release. There's great texture on Bridget's shaggy scarf, and facial details look spectacular -- even at Bridget's age.
The Sound
Bridget Jones's Diary may be at the top of the rom-com food chain, but the soundtrack is very typical for the genre. The English DTS-HD Master Audio track is the only audio offered on this release. The accents are especially clear here, with wonderful dialogue throughout. Besides a few birds, there's very little ambient noise for the soundfield. The surrounds do get some action via the power of the female-empowered soundtrack, which features staples such "All By Myself," "Respect," "It's Raining Men," and others.
The Extras
Lionsgate picked up all of the Bridget Jones extras from the DVD release, which includes a commentary with director Sharon Maguire and a bunch of short standard-def featurettes. One is on the beauty of being single, and sort of ties the film into the release of Sex and the City, which debuted around the same time. The rest of what's here is more Bridget-centric, including "The Bridget Phenomenon," "A Guide to Bridget Britishisms," and "Portrait of the Make-Up Artist." There's also a behind-the-scenes featurette, which has interviews with cast and author Helen Fielding. Finally, the deleted scenes offer a bit of extra Bridget, and it's not too shabby.
Final Thoughts
We know that we should love Bridget Jones just as she is, but the girl deserves better. If you already own Bridget Jones's Diary, it's worth going for the Blu-ray. We're a little disappointed that there's nothing new here, but it's still a nice little upgrade -- at a nice price -- for one of our favorite rom-coms.
Product Details
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