Bridget Jones : Folle de lui

Renée Zellweger was just past 30 for the first Bridget Jones movie, now she will turn 56 later this year, 2025. Today is Valentines Day and it seemed fitting that my wife and I decided to watch this movie, released just yesterday, streaming on Peacock.

It has a very slow start, we both looked at each other after about one-half hour and said, "Are you enjoying this?" We weren't and both hoped it would soon get good. All the characters were annoying and inappropriate, even the kids. In one scene the little girl is running around the house and banging on a pot for the longest. In social gatherings all the lady friends are intrusive and most of the interactions are silly. Fortunately, by tolerating all that it did pick up during its second half.

As this story starts Bridget's husband died in an unfortunate accident four years earlier, leaving her with a young son and an even younger daughter. She was still trying to cope and had not been back to her job as a TV show producer. All her friends wanted to know when she would find a man. One even started her a dating ap.

Later, as the story winds down, good things start to happen for Bridget and the kids. The son is worried that he might forget his dad and his science teacher helps by reassuring him that his dad is everywhere, his energy is, because energy can neither be created or destroyed, it just changes its form.

I would watch the second half again, but NOT the first half, neither interesting nor entertaining. And I did just that, a few weeks later. I started at the middle and the second half is an excellent one-hour movie.

Later I got the DVD from my public library and re-watched the original Bridget Jones movie. The closing credits of this movie contains a number of still shots from that original.

Let me be brutally honest: I didn't have much hope for "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy." I mainly didn't because I felt that "Bridget Jones's Baby" wrapped up the story fittingly. Sure, Daniel Cleaver was revealed to be alive, but I didn't want the happily ever after with Jones and Mr. Darcy to get ruined, especially considering that he's shown to be dead in this fourth installment. I should also mention I only saw the other three Bridget Jones movies a few months back without having read the books, and aside from "The Edge of Reason" leaving me disappointed, the romantic comedy fan in me wondered how it took this long for me to check them out. All three have immense charm and are anchored by an iconic central performance from Renée Zellweger. In theory, I should be excited, but the death of Darcy and the fact it was a Peacock exclusive made me nervous. After seeing it, I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is one of the best romcoms I've ever seen.

To begin with the positives, Zellweger remains the same lovable Bridget Jones we knew from her three prior outings. Now a mother, more the wiser but no less desirable, Jones is a sympathetic yet tragic figure who never ceases to entertain and compel.

The rest of the actors are generally incredible. Hugh Grant hasn't been in a romcom since 2014, so it's appropriate to see him in one of his most iconic roles in the form of Daniel Cleaver. He has his sex monster energy dialed down, but Cleaver's a lot more genuinely likable rather than lovably sloppy. In addition, Jones's two love interests - Chiwetel Ejiofor's Mr. Wallaker and Leo Woodall's Roxster - manage to be enchanting "forces," to quote Wallaker. Nico Parker's Chloe was pleasant, too. I like Chloe.

The comedic spark is never the duller. However, those expecting the same amount of humor as the other Bridget Jones films should prepare for disappointment. It is much more emotional than any of the other installments, managing to be heartwarming and heartbreaking at multiple intervals. A tissue box is almost a necessity when going to see this film.

I have to give props to Michael Morris's direction. I was hesitant to see what he would do since I'm used to the magic that director Sharon Maguire implemented into the first and third films, and I don't think Beeban Kidron meant to make "The Edge of Reason" as underwhelming and oddly cliched as it is. Thankfully, Morris takes the task much more earnestly than I expected. Numerous shots blew my mind and held emotional meaning.

Finally, Abi Morgan, Dan Mazer, and original author Helen Fielding's screenplay is the best in the entire series. The care they paid to the characters and the overall narrative can't be understated. There are no spoilers here, but this is Bridget Jones's final adventure, and they gave an even better ending to her story than what "Baby" gave to us nine years ago.

Overall, I'm blown away by how fantastic "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" was. It genuinely baffles me that Universal wouldn't put it in theaters. I know that "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Paddington in Peru" are in theaters the same weekend this is debuting on Peacock, but when watching it, it didn't feel like a streaming movie at all. I feel jealous of the other countries showing the film in their cinemas, as I would've gone to the theater. These films are consistent money-makers, and while "Baby" was the least-grossing domestically, it still made waves internationally. I strongly feel that because of its status as the final installment, it would have made bank.

There's nothing wrong with the film at a technical level, so by default, the technical score is a 10/10, but the acting, directing, screenplay, and Suzie Lavelle's cinematography help.

Now, for the enjoyment score. For a point of reference, I feel that "Bridget Jones's Diary" is a strong 8, "The Edge of Reason" is a sad 4, and "Baby" is a respectable 9. I never thought I'd say this, but "Mad About the Boy" is the best installment. It's the hardest to watch due to its emotional nature but said nature enhances this film's impact. Renée Zellweger and the supporting characters remain as delightful as ever, while the film's comedy is ever so pure, and they end the story right. For those reasons, it's a 10/10 enjoyment score. I'll always be a fan of romcoms, but this was on another level. Thinking about it, "The Edge of Reason" is the least important of the four movies. Given that fact, the perfect romantic comedy trilogy just concluded. Watch it on Peacock. It's more than worth it!

After being so excited for this I was more than pleasantly surprised. Everything worked for me. It was also bittersweet in that Bridget's Mark Darcy is gone now and Bridget is a widow with young children. It's been 4 years and all her besties from the other films are cheering her on to meet a man-any man-for at least a one night stand. Bridget does meet a much younger man and begins an affair with him. She also meets her son's science teacher who uses a whistle to round up all the kids before school starts. It was very Sound of Music captain seeming. But what I loved most was Hugh Grant's character coming back to be a surrogate big brother/uncle to her children. He's still a womanizer even though he's a lot older than Bridget. My one problem was Bridget's hair. Before it was over, I wanted to comb her hair myself. It was a real mess. But I loved the whole thing anyway and I highly recommend it!

'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (2025)' is very different to its predecessors, much more sombre and more contemplative. Rather than struggling with beauty standards and societal pressures, Bridget struggles with grief and coming to terms with a world which no longer has Mr. Darcy in it. Set four years after his untimely demise, the film puts enough distance between his death and its events that it isn't constantly consumed by sadness, focusing more on the reality of what happens just after the period of time usually covered by stories concerning tragedy. This allows the affair to totally avoid being dour, and it isn't even all that downbeat. It naturally fluctuates between making you laugh and making you cry, its general sadness counterbalanced by momentary happiness and the understanding that life has to go on and that there's nothing wrong with that. The central drama isn't so much 'boy' (Leo Woodall) vs 'man' (Chiwetel Ejiofor) insofar as a love triangle is concerned (the men share only a single scene), but instead one of Bridget learning to accept the absence of her husband and to live her life again. There are romantic elements of course, but this is the least 'rom-com' in the traditional sense of all the Bridget movies. It also might just be the best. Renée Zellweger is really solid as the lead character, easily slipping back into the role that arguably defines her career, and it's a treat to see characters (including Hugh Grant's Daniel Cleaver, who is pretty much unchanged by the year-long period in which he was declared dead but was actually stranded on an island somewhere, and Emma Thompson's frank-as-always Dr. Rawlings) and locations and even character setups from its predecessors. It's pretty funny and it's pretty moving. In fact, it's pretty much everything it needs to be. It does feel a little long, and certain elements in its third act feel rather rushed. Plus, Bridget doesn't have the strongest chemistry with one of the men (I won't spoil which) and some aspects of the picture feel more obligatory than natural. Still, it's a really solid sequel that examines relatable and important themes in an effective way. It totally justifies its existence.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy delivers exactly what fans expect-heartfelt emotion, slapstick comedy, and romantic fantasy-while offering just enough fresh twists to keep things engaging. Picking up four years after Mark Darcy's death, the film follows Bridget as she navigates modern dating, leading to plenty of hilarious and endearing mishaps.

Director Michael Morris enhances the storytelling with immersive visuals, particularly in a standout single-shot sequence that captures Bridget's chaotic yet lovable world. The humor shines in classic Bridget fashion, from an awkward school interview to a laugh-out-loud tree rescue scene. Renée Zellweger effortlessly reprises her role, supported by a stellar cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall. Though some jokes about technology feel a bit dated, the film's emotional depth-especially in Bridget's journey of self-reinvention-keeps it grounded.

With a nostalgic yet refreshing energy, Mad About the Boy is a charming return to Bridget's world, reminding us that love and laughter only get better with age.