Cheeky, sexy, heartbreaking. The duality of a Bridget Jones film is the backbone of its success throughout the years, and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy certainly did not disappoint. From mystery pregnancies, Thai jail sequences, and work affairs, the clumsy and cheeky essence of Bridget Jones shines through in every film and shone even brighter in cinemas across the UK this February.
We begin the film with broken hearts for the loss of Mark Darcy, who never failed to remind us that we are perfect, just as we are. Bridget goes on a journey to fill the hole in her heart and the pain in her chest that came with the loss of the father of her children. Despite this ache that permeates the film, Bridget will make you laugh until tears well and stream down your face. We meet Roxter played by Netflix’s ‘One Day’ heartthrob Leo Woodall, who gives Bridget the summer of her life, bringing her back out of her shell and giving her the confidence she deserves.
Renee Zellweger remains, as always, sensational. She transferred from screen to audience the undeniable relatability, awkwardness, and loveable nature of Bridget Jones, acting as a gentle reminder, that Bridget may be a Mum now, but she is still our Bridget.
Not only is the gorgeous Roxter a love interest in the film, but it is also hard to ignore the breathtaking Chiwetel Ejiofor playing the gentle Mr Wallaker the second he walks on screen. Love has been explored hilariously in the film series, in a truthful way that made every twenty-something woman laugh her socks off, seeing herself in Bridget. This time, however, love was explored in all its vulnerability, as Bridget gages how to navigate love and grief simultaneously.
This shift gave the film an honest tone that the other films had never quite achieved before, and it is pitch perfect. Of course, we see a few familiar faces, such as the naughty Daniel Cleaver played by the wonderful Hugh Grant, because some things, just don’t change.
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is hilarious, vulnerable, and as shameless as it was in the 2000s. The film was a pleasant surprise, being just as stupendous as we hoped, and of course, giving a gracious goodbye, to our girl.