'Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason' (R) (out of four popcorns)

Dear Diary: Can it be that the "Bridget Jones" sequel can stand on its own and entertain filmgoers as much as the first? It's possible.

Three years after the first "Bridget Jones," the Brit is back. This time, the singleton's relationship with Mark D'Arcy is deepening and it could be love.

Renee Zellweger again inhabits the size 14 body of Bridget Jones and for those who weren't eager to buy the Texas-native's British accent, get over it. In the sequel, "The Edge Of Reason," the actress dives into the role -- at some points, even literally. A scene with Jones skydiving and landing in a pigsty is genuinely funny, especially because Zellweger did her own stunts and has stories of her first days of shooting with the hogs.

Video

Preview: 'Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason'

Based on Helen Fielding's second novel featuring the Bridget Jones character, "The Edge of Reason" picks up four weeks after the original left off. Bridget is a TV feature reporter whose best on-camera moment is a shot of her bottom and the skydive that goes south. Her relationship with Mark D'arcy is doing just fine, thank you. So well in fact that she's counted 71 "shags" and has finally found a man who loves her "wobbly bits" despite her attempt to never appear without clothes on in full light.

But as things usually happen in the world of Bridget Jones, her life starts to unravel, especially when rogue Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant, enters the picture.

The two are once again brought together when they are assigned to co-host a television travel piece in Thailand and the chemistry begins to ignite again.

The movie veers a bit off course when Bridget Jones lands in a Thai prison and teaches her bunkmates a karaoke version of "Like A Virgin." There are still some laughs to be had anyway.

Just as in the first movie, save your biggest laugh for the wimpy fight scene between stuffed shirt D'Arcy and pretty boy Cleaver, who have another go-around that this time ends in a fountain in Trafalgar Square.

For book fans who may be wondering how the script writers chose to handle Jones meeting the real Colin Firth, the famous British actor the novel character is ga-ga over, alterations had to be made since Firth plays a character in the movie. Early rumbling had her obsession changed to actor George Clooney, but it was simply decided to scrap the encounter all together.

The latest Bridget Jones lacks the deep character development of the first, and the soundtrack arrives at odd times, which creates a bit of an annoyance.

But there's no resisting Bridget and her affection for Ben and Jerry's, too many cigarettes and obsession with cellulite.

Fielding hasn't yet written the third installment, but we can still hope. Firth, however, has said that it may be time for some of the regulars to step aside and let some new actors enter the picture.