The change in tone for the film series works beautifully well – as does seeing how Bridget Jones has developed as a character.
With Bridget Jones, we are so used to laughing at her antics and the way that she handles life – that this film cuts surprisingly emotionally deep. There is still the laughs but we actually see her as a character who has beautifully evolved over the years and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is filled with warmth, love, grief and laughter as she naivigates the latest chapter in her life.
In this film, we see Bridget in a period of being a single mother and trying to overcome her grief of the loss of her beloved Mark Darcy (who still has heartbreaking moments in the film that will break even the hardest of hearts), while trying to find a new way of living for herself that will be relatable for so many audiences in many different ways.
While there are still plenty of joyous and laugh-out-loud moments to be had, the elements of Bridget Jones that we have all come to know and love (and find relatable) are still there. From trying to be the perfect person whether it is as a parent or someone heading back out into the (uncomfortable) dating game it still feels relatable. The conflict between her relationship between younger man Roxter and Billy’s science teacher Scott Wallaker is nicely played (although it would have been better to have a better balance emotionally).
There is plenty of poignancy and surprisingly it is Bridget’s relationship with the roguish Daniel Cleaver that really pack a punch unexpectedly, without him ever really putting pressure on her to find someone after Mark Darcy – he is there for her after all these years in a genuine way (Hugh Grant does get many of the best lines here). These scenes, along with those with Bridget and her children meant the most (the scene in which she is explaining about her job which she returns to is beautifully and hilariously highlighted).
Directed by Michael Morris, the film is incredibly focused on Bridget and how she moves into the next phase of her life, with every scene capturing her vulnerability, insecurity and eventual transformation (in a positive way) that really makes you celebrate her character. It is funny, it is sad, it as affectionate as much as it breaks your heart.
The performances are exquisite: Renée Zellweger finds new depths to the character in poignant ways as a mother and widow, High Grant is back to his usual rascal self as Daniel – with a hint of poignancy that shows how far this film series has come: with a tint of introspectiveness that is pleasing. Leo Woodall is suitably charming – but I do wish that Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Mr Wallaker had more of a role in the film.
Overall, this is a wonderful way to round up a series that has meant so much to many over the years.
By Emma Clarendon
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️