Bridget Jones – Mad about the Boy – REVIEW

Helena Fielding, the author of the original comic column about a carefree London woman navigating the ’90s dating scene, may find it hard to believe that her creation has led to four films since 2001, one of which is ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’. In this latest installment, Renee Zellweger reprises her role as Bridget, a single mother with two young children. Her husband, Mr. Darcy, played by Matthew Macfadyen, died four years prior in a bomb explosion while working in Sudan. The opening scenes depict Bridget’s melancholic life as she deals with the absence of her late spouse and the questions from her children about potential new partners. Billy (Casper Knopf) still yearns for his father, while Mabel (Mila Jankovic) is impossibly cute but may not fully comprehend the circumstances surrounding her father’s death. The occasional babysitter and roguish lothario Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), in classic form, occasionally appears in their lives. Bridget’s circle of friends – Shazzer (Sally Phillips), Jude (Shirley Henderson), Tom (James Callis), Miranda (Sarah Solemani), and Talitha (Josette Simon) – remain on the periphery, offering little humor in their interactions.

Her friends, using dating apps like Tinder, successfully encourage her to start dating again. Although it’s not widely used now, even our editor stopped due to excessive swiping causing whiplash-like effects. However, an encounter with a park worker named Roxster (Leo Woodall), who was half her age and had a physique that could grate cheese, changes everything. With Bridget now employed as a producer on a daytime magazine show, it seems her life is back on track. Yet, an age-mismatched relationship with Roxster is bound to reach its end. Meanwhile, the potential romance between Bridget and her kids’ new private school teacher, Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor), simmers in the background.

The screenplay for this movie was penned by Fielding, Abi Morgan, and Dan Mazer, who has previously collaborated with Sacha Baron Cohen on his popular characters like Ali G, Borat, and Bruno. It’s filled with hilarious moments that perfectly counterbalance the occasional somber ones. The writers skillfully explore the complexities of dealing with grief, using insightful phrases such as ‘the harshness of poor timing in dating’ and ‘the beauty of what once was’ when dates don’t go as planned. Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent reprise their roles in a poignant scene that adds depth to the film’s humor. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, at times, is tender, moving, and ultimately life-affirming, making it one of the strongest installments in the series since the original.

Here’s the Bridget Jones – Mad about the Boy trailer…..

2025-02-12 17:23

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