Editing Colin Firth (section)

===1996–2008: Romance and ensemble films ===
For a time, it did seem as if Mr. Darcy would overshadow the rest of Firth's career, and there were humorous allusions to the role in his next five movies.<ref name="guardian-1-1-2011">{{cite news|last=Petterson|first=John|title=Colin Firth has left his posh acting peers in the dust. Give him the Oscar for The King's Speech now|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jan/01/colin-firth-kings-speech|access-date=28 January 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=1 January 2011}}</ref> The most notable was his casting as the love interest [[Mark Darcy]] in the [[Bridget Jones's Diary|film adaptation]] of ''[[Bridget Jones's Diary (novel)|Bridget Jones's Diary]]'', itself a modern-day retelling of ''Pride and Prejudice''. Firth accepted the part as he saw it as an opportunity to lampoon his Mr. Darcy character.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Faillaci |first=Sara |title=Me Sexy? |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |location=Italy |date=16 October 2003}}</ref> The film was very successful<ref name=BoxofficemojoBJD>{{cite web|title=Bridget Jones's Diary box office|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bridgetjonessdiary.htm|work=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb.com, Inc|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> and critically well-liked.<ref name="rotten tomatoes BJD">{{cite web|title=Bridget Jones's Diary Reviews top critics|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bridget_jones_diary/reviews/?type=top_critics|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Flixster, Inc.|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> A [[Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (film)|2004 sequel]] was mostly panned by critics<ref name="BJDEOR rotten tomatoes">{{cite web|title=Bridget Jones – The Edge of Reason (2004)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bridget_jones_the_edge_of_reason/|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Flixster, Inc.|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> but still financially successful.

Prior to this, Firth had a significant supporting role in ''[[The English Patient (film)|The English Patient]]'' (1996) as the husband of [[Kristin Scott Thomas]]'s character, whose jealousy of her adultery leads to tragedy. That year he also played the husband of the character of Kristin's sister, [[Serena Scott Thomas]], in the television miniseries ''[[Nostromo (TV series)|Nostromo]]''. Of the two he said "Serena was a much more faithful wife."

He next played the lead role as a school teacher and obsessed [[Arsenal F.C.]] [[association football|football]] fan in the romantic fictional adaptation ''[[Fever Pitch (1997 film)|Fever Pitch]]'' (1997) of [[Nick Hornby]]’s million-selling autobiographical essay ''[[Fever Pitch: A Fan's Life]]''.

He had parts in light [[Romance film|romantic]] [[Costume drama|period pieces]] such as ''[[Shakespeare in Love]]'' (1998), ''[[Relative Values (film)|Relative Values]]'' (2000) and ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film)|The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' (2002).  He appeared in several television productions, including ''Donovan Quick'' (an updated version of ''[[Don Quixote]]'') (1999),<ref name="Johnston-BFI">{{cite web|last=Johnston|first=Sheila|title=Firth, Colin (1960–)|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/873595/index.html|work=BFI Screenonline|publisher=BFI|access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> and had a more serious role as Dr. [[Wilhelm Stuckart]] in ''[[Conspiracy (2001 film)|Conspiracy]]'' (2001), concerning the Nazi [[Wannsee Conference]], for which he was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/celebrities/colin-firth|title=Colin Firth|work=Television Academy}}</ref>

Firth featured in the ensemble all-star cast of [[Richard Curtis]]'s ''[[Love Actually]]'' (2003), another financial success<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/LVACT.php |title=Love Actually at TheNumbers.com |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref> which divided critics.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wloszczyna |first=Susan |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-11-04-curtis-profile_x.htm |title=USA Today review |work=USA Today  |date=5 November 2003 |access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=A. O. |last=Scott |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9804E3D7153BF934A35752C1A9659C8B63 |title=Tales of Love, the True and the Not-So-True |department=Film Review |work=The New York Times |date=7 November 2003 |access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref> He was also given solo billing as the romantic lead in ''[[Hope Springs (2003 film)|Hope Springs]]'', but it received very poor reviews<ref>{{cite news|last=Bradshaw|first=Peter|title=Hope Springs Our Review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/95120/hope.springs|access-date=29 January 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|quote=It made me want to tumble off the red plush seats, curl up into a foetal ball and mew like a maltreated kitten|date=21 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Anna|title=Hope Springs Review|url=https://www.empireonline.com/reviews/ReviewComplete.asp?FID=8899|work=Empire|access-date=29 January 2013}}</ref> and made little box-office impact.<ref name=Hopespringsboxoffice>{{cite web|title=Hope Springs box office|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&country=UK&id=hopesprings.htm|work=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb.com, Inc.|access-date=29 January 2013}}</ref> He starred as [[Amanda Bynes]]' character's father in the 2003 teen comedy ''[[What a Girl Wants (film)|What A Girl Wants]]'', which was based on the play ''[[The Reluctant Debutante (play)|The Reluctant Debutante]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colin Firth - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000147/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_1_nm_7_q_colinf |website=IMDb |access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref> He played painter [[Johannes Vermeer]] opposite [[Scarlett Johansson]] in the 2003 release ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring (film)|Girl with a Pearl Earring]]''; some critics praised the film's subtlety<ref name="December 26, 2003">{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=Girl with a Pearl Earring, December 26, 2003|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-2003|work=RogerEbert.com|access-date=30 January 2013|date=26 December 2003}}</ref> and sumptuous visuals,<ref name="McCarthy-09-01-2003">{{cite news|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|title=Girl With a Pearl Earring|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117921673/?categoryid=31&cs=1|work=Variety reviews, Mon, Sep. 1, 2003|access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> whilst others found it almost restrained, tedious and bereft of emotion.<ref name="Time Dec. 08, 2003">{{cite magazine|last=Schickel|first=Richard|title=Seven Holiday Treats|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031215-557084-3,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928073950/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031215-557084-3,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 September 2006|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=30 January 2013|date=8 December 2003}}</ref> Nevertheless, it received mostly favourable reviews, was moderately successful<ref name="GWPE RT">{{cite web|title=Girl With Pearl Earring (2003) ratings|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/girl_with_a_pearl_earring/|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Flixster, Inc.|access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> and earned several awards and nominations.

[[File:Colin Firth 2005.jpg|thumb|upright|Firth at the premiere of ''[[Nanny McPhee]]'' in 2005]]

In 2005 Firth appeared in ''[[Nanny McPhee]]'' with [[Emma Thompson]], in which he plays a struggling widowed father, it was a rare venture for him into the [[Fantasy film|fantasy]] genre.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2005/film/reviews/nanny-mcphee-1200520776/|title=Film Review: 'Nanny McPhee'|last=Felperin|first=Leslie|date=24 October 2005|work=Variety|access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref> He also appeared in ''[[Where the Truth Lies]]'', a return to some of his darker, more intense early roles, that included a notorious scene featuring a [[bisexual]] [[orgy]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3648270/Is-that-Mr-Darcy-taking-part-in-an-orgy.html|title=Is that Mr Darcy taking part in an orgy?|last=Johnston|first=Sheila|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=26 November 2005|access-date=17 April 2018|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Sheila Johnston wrote that it "confounded his fans", but nonetheless that his character "draws knowingly on that suave, cultivated persona",<ref name="Johnston-26 Nov 2005">{{cite news|last=Johnston|first=Sheila|title=Is that Mr Darcy taking part in an orgy?|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3648270/Is-that-Mr-Darcy-taking-part-in-an-orgy.html|access-date=30 January 2013|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=26 November 2005}}</ref> which could be traced from Mr. Darcy. Other films from this time included ''[[Then She Found Me]]'' (2007) with [[Helen Hunt]] and ''[[The Last Legion]]'' (2007) with [[Aishwarya Rai]].

In 2008, he played the adult [[Blake Morrison]] reminiscing on his difficult relationship with his ailing father in the film adaptation of Morrison's memoir, ''[[And When Did You Last See Your Father?]]'' It received generally favorable reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/when_did_you_last_see_your_father/|title=When Did You Last See Your Father?|date=6 June 2008|publisher=rottentomatoes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/stuck|title=Stuck|website=Metacritic|access-date=17 April 2020|archive-date=20 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720205338/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/stuck|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Peter Bradshaw]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' gave it four out of five stars.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/oct/05/drama.periodandhistorical|title=And When Did You Last See Your Father?|author=Peter Bradshaw|newspaper=The Guardian|date=5 October 2007}}</ref> [[Manohla Dargis]] in ''[[The New York Times]]'' said: "It's a pleasure to watch Mr. Firth–a supremely controlled actor who makes each developing fissure visible–show the adult Blake coming to terms with his contradictory feelings, letting the love and the hurt pour out of him."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/movies/06fath.html|title=As a Father Nears Death, a Son Grows No Closer|first=Manohla|last=Dargis|date=6 June 2008|work=The New York Times}}</ref> [[Philip French]] of ''[[The Observer]]'' wrote that Firth "[does] quiet agonising to perfection."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/oct/07/documentary.periodandhistorical|title=All about my father|author=Philip French|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 October 2007}}</ref> However, Derek Elley of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called the film "an unashamed tearjerker that's all wrapping and no center."  While he conceded that it was "undeniably effective at a gut level despite its dramatic shortcomings", he added, "Things aren't helped any by Firth's dour perf, as his Blake comes across as a self-centered whiner, a latter-day Me Generation figure who's obsessed with finding problems when there really aren't any."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934468.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|title=When Did You Last See Your Father?|author=Derek Elley|work=Variety}}</ref>

The film adaptation of ''[[Mamma Mia! (film)|Mamma Mia!]]'' (2008) was Firth's first foray into [[Musical film|musicals]]. He described the experience as "a bit nerve-wracking"<ref name="Metro, Sunday 6 Jul 2008">{{cite web|last=Ivan-Zadeh|first=Larushka|title=Mamma Mia! Firth is a super trooper|url=http://metro.co.uk/2008/07/06/mamma-mia-firth-is-a-super-trooper-249572/|work=Metro, Sunday 6 Jul 2008|publisher=Associated Newspapers Limited|access-date=30 January 2013|date=6 July 2008}}</ref> but believed he got off lightly by being tasked with one of the less demanding songs, ''[[Our Last Summer]]''.<ref name="HS-July 10, 2008">{{cite news|last=Sutherland|first=Claire|title=Colin Firth talks about the challenges of Mamma Mia!|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/colin-gets-on-song/story-e6frf7jo-1111116874068|access-date=30 January 2013|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=10 July 2008}}</ref> ''Mamma Mia'' became the highest grossing British-made film of all time,<ref name="Irvine-telegraph-30-10-2008">{{cite news|last=Irvine|first=Chris|title=Mamma Mia becomes highest grossing British film|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/3283481/Mamma-Mia-becomes-highest-grossing-British-film.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/3283481/Mamma-Mia-becomes-highest-grossing-British-film.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=30 January 2013|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=30 October 2008|quote=The film has made £66,995,224 in the UK, beating Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> taking in over $600 million worldwide.<ref name=MammamiaBO>{{cite web|title=Mamma Mia! gross|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mammamia.htm|work=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb.com, Inc.|access-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> Like ''Love Actually'', it polarised critics, with supporters such as ''Empire'' calling it "cute, clean, camp fun, full of sunshine, and toe tappers",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/mamma_mia/|title=Empire review|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303025412/http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/mamma_mia/|archive-date=3 March 2010}}</ref> whereas Peter Bradshaw in ''[[The Guardian]]'' said the film gave him a "need to vomit".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jul/10/film.reviews|title=Mamma Mia!|author=Peter Bradshaw|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 July 2008}}</ref> Carrie Rickey in ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' described Firth's performance as "the embodiment of forced mirth."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/carrie_rickey/20080718__Mamma_Mia___here_we_go_again_-_this_time_on_screen.html|title='Mamma Mia,' here we go again – this time on screen|work=philly-archives|access-date=30 January 2013|archive-date=11 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211142820/http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/carrie_rickey/20080718__Mamma_Mia___here_we_go_again_-_this_time_on_screen.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> That year, Firth also starred in ''[[Easy Virtue (2008 film)|Easy Virtue]]'', which screened at the Rome Film Festival to excellent reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://easyvirtuereview.blogspot.com/|title=Easy Virtue brings British humour to Rome Film Festival|access-date=27 October 2008|agency=Reuters}}</ref> He starred in ''[[Genova (2008 film)|Genova]]'', which premiered at the [[2008 Toronto International Film Festival]].<ref>[http://entertainment.aol.ca/article/qa-colin-firth-talks-genova/339231/ Colin Firth, Genova Interview. AOL Entertainment Canada] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024123526/http://entertainment.aol.ca/article/qa-colin-firth-talks-genova/339231/ |date=24 October 2008 }}</ref>
In 2009 he appeared in ''[[A Christmas Carol (2009 film)|A Christmas Carol]]'', an adaptation of [[Charles Dickens]]' novel, using the [[performance capture]] procedure, playing Scrooge's optimistic nephew Fred.<ref name="03 Nov 2009">{{cite news|title=Colin Firth's discomfort in skin-tight spandex for A Christmas Carol animated movie|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6489121/Colin-Firths-discomfort-in-skin-tight-spandex-for-A-Christmas-Carol-animated-movie.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6489121/Colin-Firths-discomfort-in-skin-tight-spandex-for-A-Christmas-Carol-animated-movie.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=30 January 2013|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=3 November 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref>