Bridget Jones - Mad About the Boy

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 7:56pm

Anyone else reading it? I loved the first book (and the movie is my favorite movie of all time) and the second book was okay (and the movie is a plague on humanity) but I couldn't not read this. So far, it's decent. I won't spoil it, but there's one big hurdle I don't know that everyone will overcome, but I'm in. I just like hearing Bridget's voice again.

[wonkit]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 10:49pm

I got this book on my Kindle over the weekend and started to read it. I, too, loved the first book, but found the second book too derivative and superficial. After about 10 pages of this third book, I realized that attributes which are endearing in a 30 year old are kind of stupid in a 51 year old with two kids. Don't think I will go any farther, unless I am stuck on a train or in a doctor's office or something.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:00pm

Aw, I'm the opposite. It's like catching up with an old friend. And this just made laugh out loud. It's one of those absurd little moments that populate the books.

Great, an over-fifties cruise for Christmas. Everything looks so dark and gloomy.

11 p.m. Was still wearing my prescription sunglasses. That's better.




Updated On: 10/21/13 at 11:00 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:10pm

"and the movie is my favorite movie of all time"

You're kidding, right?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:18pm

She got an Oscar nomination for it! It has heart, is genuinely funny and it's a movie that never fails to make me happy. I love everything about it.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:32pm

I saw an ad on the side of a NYC bus for it this morning - and thought of you, PRS!

I plan to read it this week during a business trip. I feel like I'm connecting with an old friend.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:33pm

So you think that Bridget Jones is better than:

The Wizard of Oz
Gone With The Wind
The Sound of Music
West Side Story
Some Like It Hot
Meet Me In St. Louis
It's A Wonderful Life
Alfred Hitchcock's movies
any movie with Emma Thompson
and 500 other movies

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:39pm

He never said it was "better".

He said it was his "favorite".

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 11:52pm

You know what movie I like a lot, too? Big Business with Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Lily Tomlin, and Bette Midler.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 8:08am

I've never read the books, but I'm a huge fan of the first movie!

"any movie with Emma Thompson"

"Bridget Jones's Diary" is way better than "The Tall Guy," "Dead Again," "Peter's Friends," "Treasure Planet" . . . And almost any movie is better than that remake of "Brideshead Revisited."

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 8:20am

My post taking Goth to task for questioning PRS's opinion seems to have been removed.

I guess using the F-word isn't allowed.
But, honestly, why question a statement of what is or isn't someone's favorite?

Just added the book to my ipad library for my flight tomorrow!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 9:39am

Totally block Goth, it really works!

[Wynbish]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 9:44am

Phyllis, is this the hurdle?

I mean... why?!?
Spoiler

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 11:31am

"Bridget Jones's Diary" is way better than "The Tall Guy," "Dead Again," "Peter's Friends," "Treasure Planet" . . . And almost any movie is better than that remake of "Brideshead Revisited."

While I can see your point, Emma Thompson's performance in any movie automatically lifts the movie.

I don't hate Bridget Jones, the first one was a fun movie. But the problem is that you had Renee Zellwegger trying to be "ever so British", Colin Firth giving a screen test for his "King's Speech" role and Hugh Grant being Hugh Grant.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 11:41am

"Emma Thompson's performance in any movie automatically lifts the movie."

I agree completely, though she can't necessarily lift them above "Bridget Jones."

I thought Zellwegger was completely plausible--though maybe some of our UK posters can weigh in on that. I'd certainly have to defer to a Brit who didn't buy her as one. Firth was fine, but I completely disagree that Hugh Grant was just being Hugh Grant. I remember being shocked at seeing the formerly lovable, bumbling romantic from "Four Weddings" and "Notting Hill" as a sexy, womanizing @sshole. I thought he was great.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 12:11pm

Hugh Grant makes the same acting choices in every movie. Even though I'm not a fan, Alan Cumming would have been a more interesting choice.

While I understand that Colin Firth's character is supposed to be reserved and a bit stiff, I never saw why Bridget would be attracted to him. I think the writer/director should have developed the character's personality a bit more.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 12:16pm

Except Alan Cumming would have played him as slimy from the get-go. I really thought Grant was wonderful: you (well, I) get why she'd fall for him and buy into his BS.


Updated On: 10/22/13 at 12:16 PM

[Wynbish]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 12:16pm

But Bridget wasn't attracted to the stiff Mark Darcy until he softened a bit towards the end. She was even making fun of him with Daniel until she saw Daniel's true colors. That was the point of Bridget and Darcy's whole arc for that first book/movie.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 12:26pm

Wynbish, yes to your earlier question.

But Goth has convinced me that I'm wrong as to what my personal favorite movie is. It's actually Junior. I feel better now.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 12:48pm

I'm not trying to convince you what your favorite movie is. I'm just trying to understand why this one is your favorite movie.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 12:49pm

Okay.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 2:36pm

"I thought Zellwegger was completely plausible--though maybe some of our UK posters can weigh in on that."

Reggie knows he's on safe ground here - I think I've posted before that I think Ms Z gives the best performance by an American as a Brit that I've seen. I know at least two Bridget Jones in real life and she totally knocks it on the head. Even the accent is wholly credible.

"I realized that attributes which are endearing in a 30 year old are kind of stupid in a 51 year old with two kids."

SPOILER ALERT

This is a very pertinent comment. I thought it a cop-out to marry Bridget off and that she is now a widow suggests that the author shouldn't have married her off in the first (or rather second) place. However the issues she will face as a young widow at 51 are very different to those faced by my real life Bridget Jones as they get ever closer to that age.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 2:40pm

PS as a Christmas romcom I prefer this to (ducks) Love Actually, which I have now seen in its entirety.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 2:42pm

Scripps, I actually didn't recall your endorsement of her performance, but I'm glad to hear it.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 10/22/13 at 2:54pm

Her British accent sounds more effortless than Anne Hathaway's in One Day, Keanu's in Dracula or (my least favorite of all time... so bad) Josh Hartnett in Blow Dry.