The 10 Biggest Changes The Bridget Jones Movies Make From The Books

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The 10 Biggest Changes The Bridget Jones Movies Make From The Books

THE Bridget Jones Diary the films were adapted from Helen Fielding’s novels and made some significant changes to the source material. The films follow the title character, Bridget, a thirty-something woman who struggles with her love life. So far, only three books have been adapted into films. However, it was confirmed Bridget Jones: Crazy about that boy will be released in 2025.

It’s not uncommon for films to make changes to their source material to help tell their story.. Despite the changes Bridget Jones films are part of the book, a large part of Bridget’s story remained unchanged. THE Bridget Jones the films managed to capture the essence of the book’s beloved character, despite the changes made to the source material.

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Some characters from the books were not included in the films

Gary, Jamie and Bridget’s grandmother weren’t at the cinema


Renée Zellweger reading a diary in Bridget Jones's Baby

Some characters from Bridget Jones Novels were not included in the film adaptation. In the books, Bridget had a brother named Jamie, but he wasn’t a big part of the narrative and rarely appeared in the novels, except a few times when he and Bridget talked on the phone. Bridget’s grandmother, who also did not appear in the film, was part of Bridget’s story in the novels. Another character missing from the films was Gary, Bridget’s builder, who stole her money and left a huge hole in her apartment.

Bridget and her grandmother barely had a relationship in the novels, so her being absent from the films made sense.

The film’s writers decided not to include these characters because they did not play a significant role in Bridget’s life, except for Gary. Bridget and her grandmother barely had a relationship in the novels, so her being absent from the films made sense. However, Gary and Bridget’s storyline is an important part of the novel because he was an interesting character who made her life even more complicated.

9

Rebecca wasn’t in love with Bridget in the books

Rebecca and Bridget weren’t really friends in the novels


Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason Jacinda Barrett

Although Rebecca is an important character in the Bridget Jones books, she plays a much smaller role in films. Rebecca is friends with Bridget, Sharon and Jude. The novels show her trying to cause a rift between Mark and Bridget so she can have him all to herself. She was often mean to Bridget and made cruel comments about her appearance and way of life. In the film Bridget Jones: The Edge of ReasonRebecca is in love with Bridget.

THE Bridget Jones the films created a new personality for Rebecca. She was sweet and endearing, which made her more relatable compared to how she was portrayed in the novels. However, it would have been better if Rebecca was the same in the films as in the books, because her relationship with Bridget was one of the most entertaining parts of Helen Fielding’s novels.

8

Bridget’s diary entries were changed in the film

The films cut out a large part of Bridget’s story


Bridget Jones's Diary, Renée Zellweger

Bridget’s diaries were a safe place for her in the novels. She wrote everything on them, including how much she weighed, the number of cigarettes she smoked a day, how much alcohol she drank, and the woes of being a single woman in her thirties. The films, however, did not delve into Bridget’s diary entries. Of course, the famous romantic comedy films had some parts of her diary entries, but a significant part of them were cut out.

While it’s a shame that some parts of Bridget’s diary weren’t included in the films, it makes sense given the way her story unfolds. Bridget was obsessed with her weight in the books, so she constantly updated how much she weighed in her diary. The films moved away from this narrative and focused on his love life.

7

Bridget and Daniel’s relationship was portrayed differently in the films

Daniel was a better boyfriend in the movies


Hugh Grant and Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary

Throughout the Bridget Jones romances, Daniel and Bridget had an on-and-off relationship. In the novels, Daniel is emotionally unavailable and Bridget breaks up with him after catching him cheating. Their relationship in Helen Fielding’s book was often on the rocks due to Daniel’s inability to fully commit to Bridget. Instead, the films portrayed Daniel as a sweet, loving boyfriend whose only flaw was cheating on Bridget.

But the fact that Daniel was a better partner in the films than in the books contributed to what made him a more lovable character. If he had been the same emotionally unavailable Daniel in the films, it would have been more difficult to pass him off as one of Bridget’s greatest loves, whose only competition for first place was Mark.

6

Bridget and Daniel didn’t work together on Sit Up In The Books

Daniel worked at a different TV station


Bridget blows out a candle while sitting on a bed in Bridget Jones's Baby

After Bridget and Daniel’s catastrophic split, Daniel was fired from his publishing company, single and living a miserable life. He couldn’t get a new job at Bridget’s company. Instead, he was a travel presenter at another TV studio. The films, however, show Daniel and Bridget working together on Sit Up. The book versions of Daniel and Bridget had no professional relationship after she left the publisher. The only times they interacted were when Daniel begged Bridget to take him back.

Daniel’s inclusion in a different part of Bridget’s life was a way to bring them closer together to continue their on-and-off relationship.. How Bridget and Mark weren’t together Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by the end of the film she should have another romantic interest because this is, after all, a romantic comedy.

5

Bridget and Daniel were not together in Thailand

Bridget went to Thailand with Sharon


Bridget Jones' Baby Colin Firth as Mark Darcy
Colin Firth joined the series as Sir Bucephalus Hodge.

Bridget and Mark broke up several times during their relationship. It was during one of these breakups that led Bridget to go on vacation to Thailand with one of her best friends, Sharon. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason shows Daniel and Bridget together in Thailand. However, that wasn’t the case in the books because the two had barely spoken since Bridget finally decided to let Daniel go.

While Daniel and Bridget were together in Thailand, the two rekindled their romance. Given that the Thailand trip added some of the most romantic scenes between Daniel and Bridget in the film, its inclusion in the Thailand trip ended up working out well. Of course, the romance was overshadowed by Daniel once again messing up and leaving Bridget alone while she dealt with the drug trafficking charge.

4

Pamela’s storyline was changed

Pamela was more adorable in the movies


Gemma Jones smiling in Bridget Jones

Bridget’s mother, Pamela, was one of the most interesting characters in Helen Fielding’s story. Bridget Jones books. She was a constant source of unsolicited advice that sometimes caused tension between her and her daughter. In the soap opera, Pamela is arrested for stealing money from family and friends. Instead of apologizing, she acted as if she had done nothing wrong. The films cut this part of Pamela’s story.

She treated her husband better and fulfilled her dream of having a career without ruining her family’s life.

It’s good that Pamela’s storyline and personality changed in the films because it made her a more lovable character. She treated her husband better and fulfilled her dream of having a career without ruining her family’s life. The fact that she realized the error of her ways and wanted to work things out with her husband made her more endearing. She even had one of the most romantic scenes in the Bridget Jones films.

3

The end of the reason has been changed

Bridget and Mark got engaged


Bridget and Darcy smile at each other as they walk down the aisle in Bridget Jone's Baby

After spending most of the Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason finished, Mark and Bridget got back together at the end of the book. Mark asked Bridget to go to Thailand with him after they rekindled their relationship. However, the end of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason the film had the couple getting engaged after Bridget declared her love for Mark. In the books, Bridget and Mark didn’t get engaged right after they got together.

Endings are often the things that change in film adaptations of novels. Therefore, it is not surprising that this happened to the Bridget Jones film adaptation. Mark and Bridget’s engagement at the end of the film was the perfect conclusion to the film. Bridget’s engagement and declaration of love added a much-needed romantic scene to the film, as there weren’t many of them.

2

Daniel was alive in the books

Hugh Grant didn’t want to reprise his role as Daniel in Bridget Jones’s Baby


Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones's Diary

Daniel was alive in Bridget Jones’s Baby romance. He played a big part in Bridget’s pregnancy because she thought her child could be his. However, the film killed him off because Hugh Grant didn’t want to reprise his role. The end of Bridget Jones’s Baby The film showed a newspaper article that claimed that Daniel was actually alive. The fact that he is alive perfectly configures Daniel’s role in the Brigid Jones 4.

Although Hugh Grant was invited to return Bridget Jones’s Babyhe declined the offer. The actor did not reprise his role in Bridget Jones’s Baby because he felt his character didn’t belong in the film (via Vanity Fair). Daniel was replaced by Patrick Dempsey’s Jack, but his absence was felt because his banter with Bridget contributed to making the film funny.

1

Jack Qwant wasn’t in the Bridget Jones novels

Jack Replaced Daniel in Bridget Jones’ Baby


Renée Zellweger, Patrick Dempsey and Colin Firth talking on the street in Bridget Jones's Baby

Jack Qwant was created for the film and was not part of the Bridget Jones books. In the film, Jack replaced Daniel as the other person Bridget thought was the father of her child. Jack teased Mark and felt he was a better partner for Bridget, but she didn’t feel the same way about him. She ended up leaving him and choosing Mark, but made Jack her son’s godfather.

Seeing that Daniel was not Bridget Jones’s Babya different character had to replace him because the film and novel were about her pregnancy dilemma. Jack fit perfectly into Bridget’s story because he was different from Daniel. He supported her during her pregnancy and did his best to deal with a complicated situation. He even got along with Mark to a certain extent. However, Daniel and Bridget had better chemistry in Bridget Jones Diary.

Sources: Vanity Fair

Based on the novel by Helen Fielding, the romantic comedy Bridget Jones’s Diary revolves around a 32-year-old single woman who keeps a diary of her life and romantic encounters. Starring Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, the 2001 film was a huge critical and commercial success.

Director

Sharon Maguire

Release date

April 13, 2001

Writers

Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies, Richard Curtis

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