Celebrate Valentine's Day with the return of Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Renee Zellweger's hapless and loveable diarist now finds herself in middle age with two kids to raise – only to discover that now is the time to get back out there and discover her soulmate.
Expect big laughs and truthful observations aplenty in the fourth instalment of the blockbuster comedy franchise. The Bridget films date back to 2001's Bridget Jones's Diary and if you're a fan, the new movie may take you by surprise. Here's why.
1. It's far more poignant than you'd expect
Hugh Grant wasn't kidding when he said Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is a "sad" story. Yes, we get the usual comic pratfalls (including a priceless scene involving Bridget's lips and an unexpected on-air confession), but the heart of the story resides in Bridget's loneliness.
Now that Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) has passed away and she finds herself a mother to two children, it's incumbent on Bridget to get back out there while reconciling with recent tragedies.
2. Renée Zellweger deepens her portrayal of Bridget
Zellweger has lived with the Bridget Jones character since 2001's Bridget Jones's Diary and helped cement her as a modern comic icon. From the early days of singing 'All By Myself' on her own to Bridget's various relationship ups and downs, Zellweger's sharp comic timing has never failed to make us laugh.
Even though Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy keeps the laughs coming, Zellweger now sensitively evolves the character. This is expressed through the convincing on-screen relationship between Bridget and her kids, Billy (Casper Knopf) and Mabel (Mila Jankovic), which will undoubtedly strike a chord with parents the world over.
Yet Bridget is barely keeping things together and in the more introspective moments, Zellweger reminds us of her ability to wring tears from a broadly comic set-up. Go armed with some tissues when watching this instalment.
3. Hugh Grant gets to be more than simply caddish
Grant only gets about 10 minutes of screen time in Mad About the Boy, but he makes the most of them while signifying that Daniel Cleaver, like Bridget, has matured (somewhat). He's now the godfather to Bridget's kids, a development that indicates his lecherous days are behind him (again, somewhat), but there's a sympathetic real tenderness in his longstanding relationship with Bridget.
Plus, Grant gets one scene midway through the movie that allows him to stretch his portrayal of Cleaver, pushing it into melancholic territory. It's a reminder of this underrated actor's range, something we've also seen in the recent likes of Florence Foster Jenkins, Paddington 2 and Heretic.
4. Chiwetel Ejiofor adds much-needed pathos
It's no surprise to learn that Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor is a class act in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. He plays Mr. Wallaker, the new science teacher at Bridget's children's school, and yet there's more to his character than it seems. Initially a pragmatist, he unfurls via his interactions with Bridget and her kids, leading to some unexpected moments that are as heartfelt as they are amusing.
5. Leo Woodall gets one scene that will break your heart
No spoilers here, but you'll know it when the scene arrives. Not just a hunky fling for Bridget, Woodall's character Roxter also gets to show sensitivity. That, and he rescues a dog from a pond while wearing an impossibly thin t-shirt. One Day fans will get a lot out of this.
Book your tickets for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy via the following link and don't forget to participate in our Bridget Jones Galentine's Day competition.
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