will be the first person to say I LOVE the Bridget Jones films. How could you not? The main character, played by Renee Zellweger, is relatable and lovable. Like many women, and unlike many leading ladies in film, she is not a sample size and is not perfectly made up at all times. In fact, part of her storyline involve many references to her insecurities, which is a beautifully realistic side of a person’s life that is not always discussed in movies. In the Bridget Jones films, her weight and her single status are her biggest insecurities.
While there is nothing wrong with having moments of insecurity or sadness regarding weight, or single status, it is important to remember that neither of those concerns should consume a person, as no insecurities ever should. Also, the connection between the two is concerning in Jones’s case.
In the first film, Jones begins a diary where she keeps track of her weight and updates in her dating life. As she enters into a relationship with the boss she has had a crush on forever, she takes note that her weight has gone down because food has been “replaced” with sex. It seems every time her romantic relationships are not going well, she gains weight and worries over it. Or, when in relationships, she worries about her body because she worries about how her boyfriend sees her body.
In one relationship, she gets up to get dressed in the morning and covers her body to hide it from her boyfriend. She nervously tells him she doesn’t want him to see her “wobbly bits,” to which he replies that he likes them. Suddenly, she is smiling and hiding nothing. Her confidence level at any moment is extremely dependent on what her significant other thinks about her and her body.
While there is nothing wrong with getting a tiny confidence boost when your significant other, or anyone else, compliments you, your self-esteem and body image cannot be dependent on a man’s approval or society’s approval. Beyond that, weight should not be obsessed over for any reason. Women relate to Bridget Jones in all her imperfection and realness. But it is important that we remember not to take after Jones’s obsession with weight or dependence on men for confidence and self-esteem.
Jones has a wonderful career, glowing personality, amazing friends, and a fun family. These are the types of joys that she, and all of us, should focus on more.
