In which V. discusses, as requested, a movie that was mostly pretty good.

Right, so, I watched this Bridget Jones sequel yesterday afternoon. I quite enjoyed the original book and film, and marginally enjoyed the second book, so I thought I'd give this film a go. Besides, a girl can only see so many films featuring entrails and geysers of blood before she just really needs a break.

A note about the second Bridget Jones novel: I read this a while back, I think maybe last summer. The whole time I was reading it, I couldn't shake the impression that Miss Fielding wasn't writing a novel so much as a screenplay. I knew that she knew it was going to be adapted for the screen, and I think she formulated the plot with that in mind. It was still a decent read, just not as... I dunno, what's the word I'm looking for? Fresh? Engaging? Good?

So, having read the novel, I knew exactly what to expect from this film. If you've seen the first Bridget Jones movie, this was more of the same, really. Enter bumbling and ridiculous yet ordinary and likeable main character. Put her in numerous humiliating situations, have her deal with things in such a way that 99% of the free female population will identify with her. Throw in a couple of hot lads for good measure. Fun times.

There were a couple of scenes thrown in that were utterly stupid and without merit, which seem to have been included as comedic filler. I found this kind of tedious. For example, Bridget and Mark Darcy go on a skiing holiday. This does remarkably little to further the plot. It's just another excuse for Renee Zellweger to prove to us that she isn't afraid to make an ass of herself. Naturally, Bridget cannot ski. Therefore, obviously the only possible outcome of this situation is to have her hurtling downhill at full speed, screaming like a little bitch. Really, not at all funny.

Also, she ends up in a Thai prison. Again, not really funny, and this was one of the problems I had with the novel... it just seemed too cute. I was mildly amused by the way the Thai girls pronounced her name (Bee-shit), and also mildly amused (despite my rational knowledge that it was a really crap scene) by the Thai prison girls all singing and dancing to "Like a Virgin" but pronouncing it "Like a Wurgin". I am probably going to hell for being amused by cultural stereotypes.

Ultimately, though, who can resist Colin Firth? Hugh Grant isn't exactly hard on the eyes, either. And there's another completely feeble fistfight between those two characters. And even if Bridget Jones is maybe a little too hapless and ridiculous, I can't help being able to relate to her a little bit. The vast majority of films, even romantic comedies, portray the female leads as graceful, beautiful creatures with perfect skin and hair and a size zero ass. This is not realism. Real women, like Bridget Jones, seldom have perfect skin or hair or bodies, sometimes trip over their own feet, and quite often say embarrassing things in unfortunate situations.

So yeah, it was cute. Good fun, pleasant diversion and all of that.