MovieChat Forums > Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) Discussion > 136 pounds = overweight?

136 pounds = overweight?

posted 17 years ago by Tassoula
67 replies | jump to latest

In the movie didn't she say her weight was 136 pounds?

136 pounds = overweight?!

How tall is Briget supposed to be?

Renee Z the actress is 5'4 - a person at 5'4 and weighing 136 pounds is at a healthy/normal/ideal weight according to the Body Mass Index (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/).

I was a little sad seeing Bridget be so upset at being 136 pounds because I'm exactly 136 pounds and my BMI is 22.6 (I'm 5'5). A healthy/normal/ideal BMI is between 18.5 - 24.9.

Your thoughts...

[–] BuffyBoy48 17 years ago

BMI's aren't an accurate measurement of weight. Perhaps, Bridget is 20% body fat, and you are only 10%. YOu have more muscle which weighs more, but you would look skinnier.

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[–] fab4fan-2 17 years ago

The book actually makes Bridget's "weight problem" a bit more enigmatic, as I remember reading somewhere ages ago. In the book, we know her weight fluctuates between 130 and 140, but I don't think it's ever said what her height is... so we actually don't know if 136 is indeed a healthy weight for her, if she's overweight, if she's just being neurotic, etc.

[–] Angiers 16 years ago

Her Weight flucuates between 132 (maybe 135 tops) and 119. I just reread the book this week because I was in bed for a week sick with the flu.

[–] diamondsnowflakes333 17 years ago

It could also be because of the British culture.
Or the way it's portrayed in movies..
Like how in Love Actually, the Prime Minister's
assistant calls Natalie "The Chubby Girl" when
she is clearly not chubby at all.

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I: That's straight up gangsterrrrr!
B: It's gangsta! GANGSTAAAA!!

[–] Royalcourtier 10 years ago

Bridget Jones is of course played by an American, and the film was more American than British.

The actress is however overweight, and her character is also stupid and a slut. No wonder she cannot get a proper partner!

[–] mezobromelia 9 years ago

Well aren't you just charming?

Tough luck, chinless

[–] Abby850 16 years ago

And Renee looked lovely in this movie, much better than when she's ultra skinny. I'm very thin and always been like this. I don't think that's overweight but I'm latina and things are different with us.

Remember, remember the 5th of November

[–] mimihopps 16 years ago

I don't actually think it's about her being thought of as overweight by other people, but that it is more her own mind that dictates her that she has to get thinner and look like a stick-insect since that is what the media have told us for years/decades.
It's not that she is chubby or overweight, but that she THINKS she is while this is actually not true. She is a healthy weight which in our time is already considered chubby.

And btw, I thought Renée Zellweger looked fantastic in that movie. She had nice curves and finally her body shape matched her very round face (that she always has, no matter how thin she is). Now she just looks so thin and it kind of makes her look older than she is. She was so pretty when she played Bridget Jones.

[–] hmelanso 16 years ago

I agree that it's probably more her own thinking than other people's, but it's hard to tell in this weigh-obsessed culture we live in these days. Personally, I would love to be 136 lbs. lol

[–] rach_1314 15 years ago

I totally agree, I think I weigh about the same as this and I'm not overweight at all. I think she looked better in this movie too.

[–] this_is_robyn_dunbar 16 years ago

The character is neurotic and has an unhealthy lifestyle. I found it hilarious on the cover of the book I have it has a health warning on :D She only thinks she's fat. Exact same case as my sister. Its the only thing that annoyed me about Bridget Jones (and my sister).

[–] spanishdivaangel 16 years ago

If she was the kind of girl who never went above 125 until she reached about 28 or so, and weight piles on more easily, then it can be frightening to remain 10-15 pounds over that. Weight is tied with identity for a lot of women.

In the book she fasts for a while and gets down to 119 pounds, and can fit into her '89 jeans. She's absolutely thrilled with herself, but her friends ask her if she's okay, that she looks pale, etc. and she's crestfallen. So I'm guessing she was around that weight during high school and college.

[–] sacrilicious1981 16 years ago

I thought the weight loss was in Edge of Reason, I remember she finally looses a bunch of weight and everyone says she looks like her face has sunken into itself and she looks like a corpse, so she immediately puts the weight back on.

I agree with others, Bridget has an ideal based on American actresses, although in this film her weight is mentioned but never really made fun of, and Bridget wants to get in shape, but isn't as fixated on her body, it is hard to escape in the book because every entry has her weight, alchohol units and ciggie count.

As for Reene I think she looks just right in this film, I also liked her weight at the Cold Mountain premiere just after she finished Edge of Reason. I do think she should be comfortable in her body, which for her might be super skinny, but the curves look like that is how Reene is supposed to look.

[–] streganona26 12 years ago

I agree with others, Bridget has an ideal based on American actresses

That brings a question to mind--what kind of body shape is prevalent amongst British actresses? Does the "ideal"-looking British actress tend to be built like the "ideal" American actress? If not, what's the difference? Just curious. I figure there are plenty of famous actresses in England who we don't see a lot of in America.

"Ode to a Small Lump of Green Putty I Found in my Armpit One Midsummer Morning." Douglas Adams

[–] m-slovak79 16 years ago

in my opinion i think 136lbs might be a tad to high for someone 5'4" 'overall'... not bad, but could lose a little bit.

i think she looked 'just right' in the 1996 movie 'Jerry MaGuire' ... not to thin and not to fat. (i really liked her in that role to as it's the main movie i remember her from to this day)

p.s. i never seen this film. (Bridget Jones Diary)

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My Vote History ... http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=11026826
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[–] chipandluna 16 years ago

I'm 136 lbs. But then again, I'm 5'7. I'm a bit chubby, I have to admit, but far from overweight.

~::~::~
The midget I'm dating could be my daughter! ~Denny Crane

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[–] LisaNewcar 16 years ago

I thought the same thing. I'm 5'4" and about 135-140 lbs and I look a lot thinner than she did. I think it's because she has broad shoulders and fatter arms. That makes her appear heavier.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] SpikeHairedVixen 16 years ago

I'm 5'4 and my weight fluctuates between 128-140 pounds. I pictured Bridget in the book being about 5'1 or so, which at her given weights would give her the same body shape as me - slim, but not skinny. (Notice how she seems a bit resentful about people being taller than her; means she's probably v. short.)

In the movie, since RZ is 5'4, they upped the weight a bit so you could see that although she is definitely not fat, you can see why she would want to be skinny - heck knows I do a lot of the time, even though when I step back and look at myself I can see I'm nowhere near fat, in fact I look skinnier than Bridget. It's just how you're built; she has a lot of weight on her upper body but some fantastic legs. Mine is around my hips, which I hate, since it gives me skinny legs and and a visible ribcage but a fat arse that doesn't suit my shape. Sje's probably the same about her body shape.

Why, it's that delightful TV leprechaun. I'm going to get your Lucky Charms.*drills*

[–] ditzy_but_sexy 16 years ago

I sincerely hope that 136 pounds isn't overweight... I'm 132 and 5'4" :S

I think it's probably just Bridget being paranoid about her weight, as we can all see that Renee looks beautiful and curvy in this film, it's probably her feeling pressured by the smug marrieds and thinking that in order to find a man she needs to lose weight... She says "obviously will lose 20 pounds" but if she actually did this, I think she'd be technically underweight, so perhaps the whole situation is exaggerated in order to show the uncertainty and paranoia that most women feel at some point or another about their size or weight

[–] eidsol 16 years ago

The point is she ISN'T overweight! She is as neurotic about that as everything else. If she were a fat hag, the men in the film wouldn't find her sexy, now would they?
She is like too many woman, messed up in the head as far as beauty and attractiveness go...

[–] samanthaseaotter 16 years ago

Ummm... there are a lot of men who prefer "fat hags" as you call us. I'm constantly accused of being much younger than my slimmer counterparts.

You don't know what it looks like until you see the actual person.

Samantha
"We're here. We're dead. Get used to it."