Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy Review
Pull on your largest panties and gather your besties, Bridget Jones is Back!
Bridget Jones returns to our screens in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the fourth instalment in the popular rom-com franchise. We last saw Bridget (Renee Zellweger) marrying the often stern but always dreamy Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), shortly after the couple welcomed their son into the world. So, how will this movie navigate our favourite London singleton happily married with children? It doesn’t. We learn early in the movie that Bridget is a widow raising her and Mark’s two children on her own. Mad about the Boy is set four years after Mark’s death. The blow of Mark darcy being killed off is somewhat softened by the resurrection of Hugh Grant, who once again plays himself (I’m kidding of course! Hugh Grant plays the charming womaniser Daniel Cleaver; Bridget’s former flame and Mark’s ex-bestie). Despite being single once more, Bridget does not find herself back in bed with Daniel. Their relationship has instead matured into a close companionship. With Mark and Daniel both out of the picture, Bridget’s ever-present besties give her a not so gentle push back into the dating pool.
Bridget’s friends have signed her up for Tinder. However, in an unrealistic turn of events, a frequently dishevelled Bridget manages to meets not one but two love interests without the help of dating apps. Roxster is a gorgeous and confident 29 year old played by Leo Woodall, who you will recognise from Netflix’s One Day and the second season of The White Lotus. Roxster is charming, spontaneous, and fun, but is he too young for Bridget? Competing with Roxster for Bridget’s affections is Bridget’s son’s science teacher Mr Wallaker, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. In contrast to the free spirited Roxster, Mr Wallaker is serious and sensible, although he is also passionate and kind. Bridget charms both men with her trademark blend of wit, sex appeal, and dysfunction. In the twenty odd years which have passed since we first met Bridget, she has not matured when it comes to dating, and is still as awkward, clueless, and chaotic as ever.
It is no secret that the rivalry between Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver is one of the best parts of the Bridget Jones franchise. Unfortunately, this chemistry is something which is not reciprocated by Roxster and Mr Wallaker. Whilst they do a good job of demonstrating two very different romantic options for Bridget, you shouldn’t expect any fight scenes or fountain chases between the two.
Proving some things remain constant, Bridget’s trio of loyal besties once again feature prominently in the film. As we have come to expect, they provide some of the films best moments. Shazza, Jude, and Tom are always on hand for unsolicited advice, harsh criticism, and unwavering support, providing many laughs in the process. One of the final scenes of the film shows the four friends celebrating New Year’s Eve together and ruminating on their years of friendship. It is a welcome inclusion that in a film franchise about a woman looking for love, her longest, most stable, and most important relationships are with her three best friends.
The cast, both main and supporting, put in fabulous performances. Zellweger is fantastic in the titular role making it difficult to believe she is American, rather than English. Zellweger has the ability to make the audience cringe with second hand embarrassment, even as they are unable to look away. In a stacked supporting cast, Ejiofor is a standout, and Emma Thompson flits in occasionally as Bridget’s obstetrician and gynaecologist to remind us why she is a Hollywood Icon and National Treasure.
Despite a strong performance from the cast and some solid writing, the laughs in this movie do not come as freely as they once did for the franchise. At times, both the jokes and romances feel forced and overdone. This is not completely unexpected for a fourth instalment, but it is still disappointing. Overall, the film lacks flow and sometimes feels like a disjointed compilation of independent scenes rather than a feature length movie.
I am sure it comes as a shock to few, that this movie isn’t better than the original Bridget Jones movie, but it is still a funny and enjoyable watch. In an era where rom coms are mostly produced by streaming services and feel more like Hallmark movies, rather than a film worthy of a cinema release, this movie is a welcome change.
