Bridget Jones's Diary
2001 · 97 min
Directed by Sharon Maguire. Written by Andrew Davies, Helen Fielding, Richard Curtis. Starring Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent.
Bridget Jones is an average woman struggling against expectations. As a New Year's resolution, Bridget decides to take control of her life, starting by keeping a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth. Her charming boss takes an interest in her, and she cannot stop running into a rather disagreeable acquaintance whom Bridget cannot help finding quietly attractive.
Critics 80% · audiences 81% · streaming on fuboTV, Paramount+, Kanopy · 1 Oscar nomination
What they said about Bridget Jones's Diary
- 2001
show both her frantic awkwardness and her tender decency
— Mark Adams, The Hollywood Reporter - 2001
a delicious piece of candy whose amusing package is scrawled with bons mots distantly inspired by Jane Austen
— Mark Adams, The Hollywood Reporter - 2001
Ms. Zellweger accomplishes the small miracle of making Bridget both entirely endearing and utterly real. It is a performance so airy you barely sense the work that must have gone into it.
— Mark Adams, The Hollywood Reporter - 2001
made against all odds into a funny and charming movie that understands the charm of the original, and preserves it
— Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times - 2001
Hugh Grant is charming too, luxuriating in naughtiness, taking a holiday from his usual floppy, velvet romantic image as Bridget's caddish boss, Daniel Cleaver.
— Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly - 2001
Bridget's 'why can't I find a husband?' lament
— Felicia Feaster, Creative Loafing
How it got made
Actresses who were considered for the role of Bridget Jones were Helena Bonham Carter, Cate Blanchett, Emily Watson, Rachel Weisz (who was considered too beautiful for the role), and Cameron Diaz. Toni Collette declined the role because she was on Broadway starring in The Wild Party at the time. Kate Winslet was also considered, but, at 24, the producers decided she was too young.
Zellweger's casting in late May 2000 concluded a two-year search. Producer Eric Fellner explained that she "brings enormous character and conviction to the part". Director Sharon Maguire said of Zellweger, "I saw in Renee a gift few people have, that she was able to straddle comedy and emotion." Zellweger worked on her accent with Barbara Berkery, who had helped Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love. She also gained 20 pounds (9 kg) for the part. To prepare for the role, Zellweger worked at the producers' request at London book publishers Picador as a trainee in the publicity department. Before the film was released, a considerable amount of controversy surrounded the casting of the American Zellweger as what some saw as a quintessentially British heroine. However, her performance, including her south-eastern English accent, is widely considered to be of a high standard.
In July 2000, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant were cast as the male leads. The director of the film, Maguire, one of Fielding's friends, was reportedly the base for the character "Shazzer" (English slang for Sharon), as mentioned in the behind the scenes commentary on the DVD. In the film, Shazzer is played by Sally Phillips.
At the box office
Bridget Jones's Diary grossed $71.5 million in the United States and Canada, and $210.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $282 million, against a production budget of $25 million. The film made $10.7 million in its opening weekend, finishing third. Dropping just 5.7% in its second weekend, the film made $10.2 million and finished first the following weekend.