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Reality checks out in the life of 'singleton' Bridget

Hands up those who smoke too much, drink copious amounts of liquor, diet on and off and have ever put their feet firmly in their mouths.

So, everyone's got their hand up? This is what we've all got in common with Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger), a 30-something "singleton" looking for her perfect man.

This is one book-to-screen adaptation that stays true to its source and should appeal to both sexes- women will relate to Bridget's neverending dilemmas and men will really find out how the opposite sex operates (maybe a little too well).

Searching for inner-poise and everlasting love, Bridget finds herself celebrating another New Year's Eve, without a man.

Armed with a diary she decides to chronicle her triumphs and heartaches and change her life.

Bridget's mum (Gemma Jones) is always trying to set her up with eligible bachelors and on the list this year is stuffy barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Our heroine, however, is already swooning over another man - her sexy, successful, single boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant).

Despite her lack of grace, Daniel takes a fancy to her, but when he makes a big relationship boo-boo it's Darcy who is standing solidly in the wings.

Grant is well cast and is much sexier as a womanising cad than he was a love-struck wimp in Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Firth is stoicly handsome and restrained, giving a subtly sexy performance.

An honest, heartwarming and funny movie providing a big dollop of real life.

Rating: *****
Films are rated out of five stars.

Movie Review Courtesy of Guardian Messenger (South Australia) August 8, 2001