SPOILERS AHEAD
There was no better way to spend my ‘galantines’ evening than by going to the cinema with my friends to watch the fourth installment of Bridget Jones, ‘Mad About the Boy’. Growing up watching the franchise, I always admired the relatable and humorous nature of Bridget that makes her so loveable. So, I was delighted to see Bridget back on our screens, just as she is!
This film, however, took a slightly more serious tone, with far more emotional scenes than comedic ones. The film follows Bridget (Renée Zellweger) four years after the tragic death of the charming Mark Darcy, who died whilst doing humanitarian work in Sudan. Now widowed with two young children, Bridget faces the obstacles of motherhood which are made all the more difficult by her grief.
However, after a firm pep-talk by her friends, Bridget decides to have a ‘rebrand’ – returning to work as well as joining Tinder. This leads Bridget to explore a relationship with the much younger and very attractive Roxtar (Leo Woodall), who allows her to open herself up to the possibility of a relationship after Mark. But inevitably they realise that the age gap will always be a barrier, and the romance falls apart.
In the second half of the film Bridget builds a friendship with (Mr.Wallaker) – a teacher who helps her and her children come to terms their grief. Eventually, in a scene reminiscent of the first film, they share a kiss in the snow. However, to me this relationship felt rushed, and the film as a whole felt far too long, almost as if it were two separate stories – one with Roxtar and one with Mr Wallaker. There were also some unanswered questions, such as what happened to Patrick Dempsey’s character from the third film.
That being said, the film featured so many laugh-out-load moments that had the entire cinema giggling. The return of Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver brought back much needed charm and wit to the screen. I especially loved all the nostalgic nods to the earlier films – the blue cocktails reminiscent of blue string soup, the beloved penguin pjs, and most sentimentally, Darcy’s robin jumper worn by his son Billy in the final scenes.
But beyond the comedy, the film had many emotional moments, making it the most poignant out of the installments. When the lights came up, it was clear everyone had tears in their eyes. Blending humor with heartache, Bridget reminds us that you can still find happiness and love after loss – you just might find them in the most unexpected places.
Whilst I wasn’t expecting the film to be so moving, for the final Bridget Jones film, it felt only right for it to leave a lasting emotional impact. It had to do justice to Bridget’s final chapter and to me, it was the perfect way to say goodbye.