Full disclosure… I am not the target demographic for this film. That is not to say I dislike Bridget Jones. I have seen the first two films (albeit years ago) and generally enjoyed them: strong casts, awkwardly funny, and more relatable than most romcoms of their day. I skipped Bridget Jones’s Baby for similar reasons to why I nearly passed on this one. The notion of resurrecting a franchise so deeply rooted in the 2000s seemed unnecessary to me. We already live in a film and TV landscape dominated by remakes, prequels, and sequels. Making a new Bridget Jones in the mid-2010s seemed just as cynical as making a new one in the mid-2020s. Was this series going to age well? I went in expecting this film to be to me what Sex and the City 2 was to Mark Kermode: abysmal. I anticipated a nostalgia-filled cash grab that had nothing new to say.
And yet, I was genuinely surprised by Mad About the Boy. What I got was a mature and sobering take on this established character. The film follows Bridget’s attempts to come to terms with the death of her husband, fan-favourite character Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), while raising their two children. This immediately creates a more sombre tone, differentiating it from its predecessors.
Whilst Mad About the Boy still deals primarily with the usual subject matter of Bridget Jones—romantic troubles—it has an undercurrent of grief running through the entire film, bringing a new dimension to its heroine. Themes such as ageing and loss were unexpected and packed a punch emotionally. The film’s callbacks to the earlier entries carry a touch of sadness, creating an acute awareness of just how much time has passed since the first Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Now, the film is not perfect: it dips into nostalgia, is at times indulgent, and can be eye-rolling. Some of its contemporary cultural references can also be grating (jokes about smartphones and Netflix come to mind). Ultimately, though, performances by Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant depict a newfound maturity in both characters. Their relationship is now platonic but also more loving and genuine. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Mr Wallaker, and Leo Woodall, who plays Roxster, make welcome additions to the ensemble.
Mad About the Boy manages to deliver decent laughs, poignant moments, and breaks new ground, making it a solid addition to the franchise.
Illustration by Madeleine Boyd – @_madsketchy