In Praise Of ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary,’ One Of The Last Truly Great Rom-Coms

Truly great rom-coms seem to be a thing that only existed in the 90s and early 2000s. Sure, from time to time a more modern film becomes canon worthy—think The Proposal, Knocked Up, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall—but it is really rare and really hard to do it. I mean we had Notting Hill—she’s just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her for goodness sake, Sleepless in Seattle—in which a boy helps his dad fall in love via a radio show (does it get more 90s than that?), and Pretty Woman—where Julia Roberts escapes her life as a prostitute thanks to rich businessman Richard Gere.

One such fantastic film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, celebrates its fifteenth anniversary today. Once you get past the oh my god am I really old enough for that to be true feeling, let’s take a minute to appreciate how great Bridget Jones really is.

For those of you who haven’t seen the film (how? why? are you okay?) it follows, you guessed it, Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) in her very un-posh, sometimes slightly pathetic, and always hilarious British life. Hugh Grant and Colin Firth star as Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy respectively, the two men vying for Bridget’s affection. What makes this film so great, really what makes all rom-coms great, is the relatability, great drama, and no shortage of laugh out loud moments.

Zellweger is unfailingly honest in her portrayal of a modern single woman. She drinks and smokes too much, eats an excessive amount of ice cream, wears perhaps the ugliest Christmas sweater to ever exist, can’t cook to save her life (she does make blue soup after all), and makes it clear that the gym is not usually a fun place to be. We’ve all had moments where we embody all that Bridget Jones is, but what makes this movie stand out against others of the like is that it shows those times. Unflattering and embarrassing moments aren’t overtaken with images of perfect hair, bodies, or make-up. It is very real and super refreshing.

Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy provide loads of drama. Daniel slept with Mark’s fiance, but Bridget thinks that Mark slept with Daniel’s girl. Mark hates Bridget because Bridget likes Daniel. Daniel hates Mark on principle. Like I said, drama. Through all of the drama that the men provide, the focus never leaves Bridget. She’s the one who makes an embarrassing speech, the one who falls into a pond, and the one who chases after a man in the snow in very little but her underwear. Though our imperfect heroine does make mistakes in love and in life, she always owns them. Her mistakes aren’t because or in spite of a man they are simply her’s. She negates blame and instead embraces who she is.

We’ve covered the rom, but now for the com; this movie is seriously funny. Family gatherings are typically uncomfortable, particularly if you’re single, but whenever you’re uncomfortable just remember that you didn’t show up dressed as a prostitute (like Bridget) and feel much better about yourself. Or how about being clumsy? Well I bet you didn’t slide down a fireman pole, get stuck, and flash your underwear on live television (yes, Bridget again). Some movies can’t handle the silly moments without making them seem cheesy and outside of the realm of real life possibility, but Bridget Jones does. You totally believe every awkward, uncomfortable, and flat-out mortifying thing that happens to Bridget because you believe Bridget as a character.

This film was followed up by a (still really good) 2004 sequel and a third film in the series, Bridget Jones’s Baby, is set for release this September. With our lack of current films that live up to the likes of Love Actually and You’ve Got Mail, we can only hope this sequel transports us back to the time of magical rom-coms. If the trailer, which you can see below, is any indication we won’t be disappointed.

[Stream Bridget Jones’s Diary on Netflix]

Photos: Everett Collection