Film review: ‘BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’
It’s alarming to think that it’s been nearly a quarter of a century since the ditzy but charming and unstoppable Bridget Jones first bumbled her way onto cinema screens. The film Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), which was based on the successful Helen Fielding novel was a sufficiently big hit to spawn multiple sequels. While Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason from 2004 was a bit of a mess and lacked the original’s endearing wit, Bridget Jones’s Baby, which appeared a mere 12 years later, was a cheery and vibrant return to form. Now, nine years after that film comes Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. While on this occasion there’s a tinge of melancholy as the film addresses issues of personal loss and the passage of time, this fourth instalment in the series still buzzes with Renee Zellweger’s irrepressible energy as the endearingly daffy Bridget.
This film sees Bridget and her two children Mabel (Mila Jankovic) and Billy (Casper Knopf) still trying to come to terms with the death of husband and father Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) four years earlier. Stagnating and stressed by motherhood, Bridget seeks the counsel of her delightfully foul-mouthed friends (Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis) and is inspired to break out the diary for another bout of personal reinvention. As well as returning to her job as a producer on a ludicrous TV chat show, she decides to start dating. Under slightly unbelievable circumstances she encounters a much younger pretty boy, who refers to himself as Roxster (Leo Woodall). While the lad appears to reinvigorate Bridget, the substantial age difference constantly hovers over them. Also, appearing on the scene is the kids’ science teacher Mr Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor) whose Captain Von Trapp approach to disciplining school children and ice-cold Mr Spock logic initially grates with the freewheeling Bridget… but maybe there’s a spark.
While it was never likely to capture the joyful silliness of that first film, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy mostly works. A few of the gags are a little too contrived and rely on overused tropes like the annoying queen bee alpha mum who rules the school drop off zone but enough of them work to produce plenty of laugh out loud moments. The film’s perky energy is also enhanced by a fine soundtrack that includes Air and The Clash.
The script feels a little scatty, though, as the film jumps from quirky comedy, to romance, to the more serious personal drama of Bridget’s grief but for the most part director Michael Morris does a decent job balancing this movie’s disparate elements.
Importantly, there’s plenty of adorably dorky Bridget moments where the oddball world she inhabits collides with reality and we get to enjoy her vast capacity for social faux pas and creating minor disasters. After 25 years, Renee Zellweger is still wonderful as Bridget. She retains that endearing kookiness but is more than a clown as she gives the character genuine pathos.
As the romantic interests, Woodall and Ejiofor are likeable enough but feel a little bland compared to Bridget’s quirkiness and they’re simply not as memorable as Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Thankfully, Grant appears here as ageing reprobate Daniel Cleaver. He has some of the funniest lines in the film (albeit testing the boundaries of political correctness) but even the louche Daniel Cleaver isn’t immune from personal tragedy this time.
The latter part of the movie focuses more on Bridget and her children’s grieving process which some may find a little dour while others will be genuinely moved; there were a few tears in the cinema.
Even more than the pratfalls and personal tragedies, this film is about Bridget staying connected to the characters we’ve known for almost 25 years, making Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy a very sweet celebration of a beloved film series.
Nick’s rating: ***1/2
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Romance.
Classification: M.
Director(s): Michael Morris.
Release date: 13th Feb 2025.
Running time: 125 mins.
Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.