Relevant element: The archetypal single thirtysomething woman trying to find happiness in her love life and career
Why it resonated: This was perhaps the first major adaptation of a so-called chick lit novel, and it put forth a main character whose concerns echoed those of the target audience
General comments on the film: Much of the success of this movie relies on the audience's sympathy with the title character as she is put through a ridiculous series of social humiliations. Apparently, many people identified with her struggles to take control of her eating, drinking, smoking, working, and shagging, but I found it difficult to figure out exactly why I was supposed to like her. Yes, she has a horrifying night when she has to introduce her boss at a launch party for a new book (--is it just me or do an inordinate percentage of women in movies work in publishing?), but that seems to be mainly because she is not very intelligent, articulate, or responsible.
The more I think about it, the less I would want her to be my friend, employee, relative, etc. That lack of a reason for me to sympathize with her beyond her seemingly endless capacity for embarrassing herself erodes the foundation of the film for me. At least there was a gratuitous Jane Austen reference.
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