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Kate Russell reviews 
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 8231064
- Running time: 104 minutes
- Year: 2004
- Pressing: 2005
- Region(s): 2, 4 (UK PAL)
- Chapters: 17 plus extras
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: English
- Widescreen: 2.35:1
- 16:9-enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £24.99
- Extras: 4 deleted scenes (with directors introduction), The mini-break to Austria: Renée does her own stunts, Audio commentary with director Beeban Kidron, The Big Fight: Mark and Daniel at it again!, ‘Who’s your Ideal Man Mark or Daniel?’ hilarious interactive quiz type thingy, Bridget interviews the real-life Colin Firth (with directors introduction), Mark and Bridget: Forever? Lonely London.
Director:
- Beeban Kidron
(Antonia and Jane, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Hookers Hustlers Pimps and Their Jones, Swept From the Sea, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, Used People, Vroom, TV: Alexei Sayle’s ‘Itch, Murder, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit)
This DVD: Bridget Jones 1 & 2:
Producers:
- Tim Bevan, Jonathan Cavendish and Eric Fellner
Screenplay:
- Andrew Davies, Helen Fielding and Richard Curtis
(based on the novel by Helen Fielding)
Original Score :
- Harry Gregson-Williams
Cast :
- Jason Bourne: Matt Damon
Marie Kreutz: Franka Potente
Ward Abbott: Brian Cox
Pamela Landy: Joan Allen
Kirill: Karl Urban
Nicolette: Julia Stiles
Jarda: Marton Csokas
Danny Zorn: Gabriel Mann
Yuri Gretkov: Karel Roden
John Nevins: Tim Griffin
Irena Neski: Oksana Akinshina
Conklin: Chris Cooper (uncredited)
I first met Bridget Jones when my mother brought me a copy of the first book shortly after it came out..
Like most single 30-somethings, I could relate to the character in the book, and it was a pleasant surprise to see how well Renee Zellweger managed to translate this onto the silver screen – something that most filmmakers seem hard-pushed to do it seems. So it’ll come as no surprise to learn that I was delighted when Dom asked me to review this particular DVD. Especially as following a sequence of Bridget-esque coincidences/disasters, I failed to make the big night out with all my girlfriends to go and see it in Leicester Square.
I never did make it out to the cinema to see Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason – it seemed somehow sad to go and see it alone
I have to say though, Im glad I didnt see it in the cinema. As a home view DVD, BJ:EoR is a great nights entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed about 80% of it – weeping and laughing at all the appropriate moments. And it’s genuinely funny sometimes too, so any of you non-rom-com fans who have to watch it out of duty to your partner/mate will not have to suffer too much. But it wasn’t anywhere near as good as the first one, and if I’d forked out £15 for all the trappings that go along with a visit to the Odeon Leicester Sq, I think Id have felt a little short changed on the night.
Like the first film, the plot whips along nice and brusquely, peppered with hilariously funny but cringe-worthy moments as Bridget blunders her way through life in the city. Now hooked up with the nice Mr Darcy, Bridget’s diary begins identically to the first movie. And I mean identically – almost.
The opening sequence will look familiar to die-hard Bridget fans, because it is the exact same scene that opens the first movie (according to the director’s commentary in one of the extras – I wasn’t that big a fan to notice I’m afraid). The only difference is that this time Bridget is wearing a skirt – a masterpiece of digital trickery that involved swathes of blue cloth and far too many man-hours – and, she has brought along her beau, the dashing Mr D.
As the plot unfolds we see all the familiar faces from the first film – including an inspired performance from Hugh Grant, who in my opinion plays a much better loveable rogue than he does a foppish gentleman. There is the obligatory romantic triangle, the obligatory lovers tiff, and the obligatory wimpish fisty-cuffs between the men in Bridget’s life. And I enjoyed it – its not a classic, or a keeper unless youre really a BJ fanatic – but I enjoyed it just the same.
Having said all this though, I do have one major criticism, which stopped me from fully enjoying this feel good movie. I found Renee Zellweger overplayed her character at times. With the po-faced English rose accent and cartoonish sequences (and I’m sorry, nobody that wooden on screen would EVER make a network news reporter), her performance jarred at times with the other actors, and made me remember I was watching a film.
I know the whole thing is supposed to be highly stylised, but there’s a difference between good character acting and playing a role. This is probably more to do with direction than anything else, as when Renee gets it right, she gets is so right – like in the brilliant love scenes between her and Hugh Grant in Thailand.
On the whole though, I’d say if you like romantic comedies and there’s nothing better on the shelves, alongside a big tub of ice-cream and a box of tissues, BJ:EoR will make a very satisfactory night in. Furry slippers and face packs are optional.
Regarding the extras, there was a good selection split into three sections headed by the three main characters. About 75% of them were worth a watch, the usual selection of behind the scenes stuff etc. I loved the fight scene documentary in Hugh Grant’s section – I love the idea that those two have maintained such a rivalry off-screen too.
The other 25% I felt added nothing (especially the fatuous love quiz in Hugh Grant’s section, which was so patronising I refused to answer even the first question on principle). The director’s commentary in one extra sounded like a justification for all the minor faults I’d spotted along the way. Not very cool.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALL 
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.