The romantic comedy genre is so often full of dull, clichéd, and brainless films, but every so often, one comes across that is a whole lot more tolerable, thanks to some smart writing and likeable leads. Bridget Jones's Diary, based on the novel of the same name written by Helen Fielding, is one such film, and it also escaped the controversy surrounding lead Renee Zellweger's casting (given that she is an American and the role is for a British woman), thanks to her Oscar nominated performance.

Bridget Jones (Zellweger) is a frustrated woman who is now in her early thirties, who is single and also very conscious of her weight. She works at a book publisher's, and pines over her boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) daily. However, at a family engagement, she meets Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), who has quite evidently been modelled by the Fielding on Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. She ultimately finds herself in a strange love triangle, where she will have to choose who is right for her - Cleaver, or Darcy.

This is quite a fluffy and light romantic comedy, but it also exudes a fair amount of charm thanks to Zellweger's charismatic performance that wins out against the odds. It's the rare film - a smart romantic comedy, and it's also among the better-cast films in the genre: Hugh Grant is surely a bit tired of these roles by now, but you wouldn't know by looking at him here, and Firth is a treat too. As a look at the modern woman, and also modern gender expectations, this is a clever romantic comedy that captures the neuroses of its characters in the way Woody Allen surely would if he never tried to be subtle. This is a knowing and charming romantic comedy, largely thanks to the central performance.