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114 of 129 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Reason Has Nothing To Do With It, October 29, 2004
So many sequels, so little time. Should you spend some of that time with this sequel to the popular and funny Bridget Jones' Diary? If you have a taste for the light and frothy, certainly. If we were discussing the book, The Edge of Reason, I would say "no"--- there are far better books, and better sequels, out there. But this is that rare case where the second book was rushed out to capitalize on the wild popularity of the first, and disappointing----- while this movie, not so rushed, is only casually based on and certainly better than the book.
Although neither book nor movie quite live up to the first, fans of the first movie will be well entertained by the second. And I, for one, am immensely glad that at least one horribly painful scene in the book is not even hinted at in the movie: Mr. Darcy keeps most of his dignity intact.
Can you enjoy this movie without seeing the first Diary? Yes, you learn enough of the characters early that this movie can stand on its own. However, I would bet that if you even smile during this one, you will want to rent or buy the first. You'll laugh out loud.
Especially if you love Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, as I do, this sequel is time well spent. I can't spell out why Colin Firth is so attractive, but there it is: he is. He is a much greater presence in this movie than the first--- after all, he (as "Mark Darcy") and Bridget have a real relationship as the movie opens. Of course they ---uhmm--- "mess" it up ("language, Bridget!") with misunderstandings, jealousies, and very funny mishaps. I am not a huge fan of humor based on one character's running the continuum from private embarrassment to public humiliation; yet Bridget, who constantly manages to embarrass herself and others in public, is such a good sport and so charming as Everygirl, that we laugh or groan with her in recognition of those moments in ourselves, and not at her. There are some great laughs in this movie.
Some of them come with Hugh Grant, who seems to have lost the weight that Renee Zellweger gained. Too thin but still devilishly attractive, Hugh's rakish character Daniel Cleaver hangs around to take advantage of the misunderstandings between Bridget and Mark Darcy-- even if he has to "hang around" Thailand to do it. Cad that he is, when Bridget really becomes a damsel in distress, he evaporates into thin air. That's all right. We know there will be some rough times in between, but surely Mark Darcy, human rights lawyer, will come cantering in on a white horse to save Bridget from Thai prison, right? Not quite. But with a few comic kinks, close enough.
I don't expect Renee Zellweger to receive another Oscar nomination for this one. She is fun, she is appealing, and she is good, but this is not the script for it. I've heard the British objections to her inconsistent, not to say hokey, accent, and while they have some merit here, I do applaud her for bravely diving into Everygirl-dom, a little overweight, a little embarrassed and embarrassing, but with self-awareness enough to make her a cult favorite of all of us "Singletons". She's effervescent, and she's resilient. Gotta love her.
If the movie was shot on location, it largely lost the advantage of it in Thailand, but that is a mere quibble. A stronger criticism: the first movie's soundtrack was marvelously energetic and witty--- who could forget "It's Raining Men"? This one, however, tries too hard: too many oldies which are favorites because they are very good songs, but which have been used in too many soundtracks. Even slightly new arrangements don't imbue them with the freshness the movie deserved. However, the costumer showed some wit in this episode, as well as underscoring some of the broader humor.
Not serious, not deep, not an exercise for the intellect, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" is enjoyable and bubbly, and a darned good time. B--
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
This is total rubbish. , June 29, 2005
I don't usually review films that I only saw by chance and then didn't like, but I'm making an exception here, as "Bridget Jones - The Edge of Reason" is a true disaster all round. I saw the first movie and found it mildly amusing, so when this turned up I thought I'd give it a go, but I'm sorry I bothered.
Basically, the Bridget Jones in this film is a total idiot, who messes up everything in her life including her pride, her love life, and her career. Not in a funny or endearing way, though, which would encourage sympathy. And not in a zany Lucille Ball-type way either, that would get you laughing. No, just in a totally stupid and pointless way that makes you want to hit her. Every embarrassing faux-pas or misunderstanding the character stumbles through (and there are dozens) just makes you want to switch off and leave her to it. She messes up every single aspect of her relationship, her job, and her holiday by saying and doing the most brainless and unfathomable things, in ways that a real person would never do. Or if they did, they wouldn't have any friends...and certainly not Hugh Grant and Colin Firth fighting over them!
Rene Zellweger playes Bridget as a totally unloveable, boring and socially inept loser...I don't think this is the actress's fault, or even due to the original charcter in the Helen Fielding novels, but more due to the terrible script and direction. Why does Bridget walk everwhere like a constipated duck, for example? Why does she laugh and sigh at every stupid blunder she makes, and just waddle on to the next stumbling point? Even when she's lost the love of her life, it's all summed up with a shrug and a rueful smile. Come on, girl, try and make us care! I sure didn't!
If that wasn't bad enough, the last third of the movie almost made me shout at the screen...Dopey Bridget is duped into smuggling a massive stash of cocaine out of Thailand, and gets caught trying to board a plane at Bangkok airport. She then gets thrown into a Thai women's prison. This notoriously unpleasant predicament really doesn't belong in a (supposedly) frothy comedy like this is, but it just gets worse, as have-a-go Bridget gets all (and I mean ALL) the inmates on her side which results in a huge sing-along scene and lots of laughing and hugging. Sorry, I don't think so somehow. This sugar-coated representation of the notoriously brutal Thai prison regime left a nasty taste in my mouth...not alleviated in the slightest when Bridget gets an anticipated (but blatently unlikely) full pardon and early release, just because her lawyer boyfriend pulls the right strings.
The above illustration is the worst example, but I didn't find any of Bridgets other antics entertaining or affecting in the slightest either. She's somehow got a high profile TV reporters job, but she can't even do it. Everyone makes jokes about her weight and she just thinks it's funny. With a central and supporting cast of usually reliable performers, it's tragic how lame this film has turned out. There's nothing apparent to make you understand or care about any of the lead characters actions. And that means a waste of 90 minutes in my book. Make better use of your time and give this one a miss.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Listen to Reason: Skip this film, March 23, 2005
Bridget Jones 1 was amusing and light. Bridget Jones Edge of Reason should never have been released. This movie is absolutely terrible from start to finish. Firstly, it lacks the originality and charm of the first one -- a symptom of being a forced sequel. Secondly, it's not funny in the least. Thirdly, the acting is terrible. I am usually a fan of Renee, but she is terrible here. Hugh Grant puts in his usual canned performance, and someone should really tell him it's time for him to try a slightly different role in the interest of saving his career and pride. Colin First is just plain unlikeable. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone.
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