Me, Myself & Irene (2000)

We, the people doing the Thursday Movie Picks series, had a meltdowns week earlier this year and Steven from Surrender to the Void picked Me, Myself & Irene. It sounded like a fun Jim Carrey movie so I finally checked it out. 

The film is about Charlie Baileygates (Jim Carrey), a Rhode Island State Police trooper whose life started falling into pieces on his wedding day when his wife (Traylor Howard) started cheating on him and eventually gave birth to three African-American kids. When she leaves him, Charlie takes upon the task to raise the triples. He becomes a loving and loved father but everyone else mistreats him and takes advantage of him. One day he snaps, his other rude and violent personality, Hank, takes over and, diagnosed with split personality disorder, he's assigned to escort a woman, Irene (Renée Zellweger) back to New York and must protect her from her corrupt ex-boyfriend (Daniel Greene). 

Chicago (2002)

Though it won Best Picture in 2003, I never bothered watching Chicago for one simple reason, it's a musical and I'm not really into them. Then Birgit picked it for the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge, it sounded fun and decided to watch it. And what can I say, it probably didn't deserve the Oscar but it's a fun musical.

In 1920s Chicago, Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger), a housewife who dreams of becoming a vaudeville star, kills her lover (Dominic West) after finding out he was never going to make her famous. As he discovers her infidelity, Roxie's husband, Amos (), refuses to take the blame for the murder and Roxie is sent to jail, pending hanging. There she finally meets Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the vaudeville star she admires the most, who is in for murder her husband and her sister --they were having an affair. Both represented by greasy lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), who is known for having his clients acquitted and making them famous, the two women start fighting for the fame. 

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Genres

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Director

Sharon Maguire

Countries

UK, USA, France

Cast

Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Celia Imrie, James Faulkner, Shirley Henderson, James Callis, Sally Phillips, Lisa Barbuscia, Donald Douglas, Charmian May, Paul Brooke, Embeth Davidtz, Patrick Barlow, Felicity Montagu, Neil Pearson, Dolly Wells

Storyline

32-year-old Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is determined to improve herself while looking for the right man.

Opinion

I never cared for Bridget Jones's Diary but over the years I've heard a lot of good words about it and since recently I've been craving romantic films (don't even dare ask me why) I decided to spend a quiet evening, alone in my pyjamas, watching it. And I really enjoyed this corny but hilarious chick flick.

Don't expect anything new from this film because it tells a predictable story that has been done to death, it is incredibly clichéd and the twists, although there are a few, are just as corny as they can get, but frankly I didn't care because in spite of all those flaws the story was engaging and entertaining, and I found myself rooting for one of the guys.

However, what makes this film so different and quite charming is the main character, Bridget Jones. Her personality is simply spectacular. She is funny, clumsy, sincere, genuine, sweet and a total charmer. Plus Renée Zellweger gives such an amazing performance - you can see how much she committed to the role - it's impossible to dislike her. Also, Bridget is so normal it's easy to relate to her.

The guy characters are solid as well having, on the one hand, Daniel Cleaver, a handsome and charming womaniser, and on the other hand, Mark Darcy, an arrogant and rude man that will slowly win your heart and the credits go to Colin Firth for giving such a delightful performance.

Other than the character, arguably the best part of the film is the soundtrack. Although I've been given the impression not everybody shares my opinion, I loved each song and I think they really fit the film well.