Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Review

“It is not enough to survive, you have got to live,” says one of the characters in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, which is quickly followed by a light-hearted joke on who might have said such an inspirational quote. This perfectly captures the spirit of this film: half emotional and half comedy, it manages to strike the perfect balance between the two in a way long-time fans of the series will undoubtedly love and cherish. It is the sentence that also sums up the entire sentiment of the movie as the protagonist approaches a chapter in her life she – nor us as the loyal spectators of all the chaos in Bridget’s life– would have never seen coming. 

Based on a book of the same name, the third one in the Bridget Jones book series, written by Helen Fielding, Mad About the Boy is the fourth installment of the beloved romantic comedy franchise. Once again, the film follows the titular character Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) as a widow and single mum after the death of her husband Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). With the help of her friends, including her ex-boyfriend Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), Bridget slowly attempts to create a new normal for herself and her family as she returns to work and even tries her chance at love again. But will it be Roxster (Leo Woodall), a much younger man she met on a dating app, or Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor), her son’s science teacher, the one to capture our protagonist’s heart?

The newest film of the series brings us back to the familiar world of Bridget Jones that so many of us know and love. From the beginning of the film, we can see how Bridget is exactly who we have always known her to be: a little chaotic and often not perfect, but also incredibly likeable just the way she is. The film also incorporates various callbacks to the franchise that precedes it, from repurposing some of the iconic costumes of the original films to portraying a fitting – if only a little heartbreaking – final chapter of such a beloved series.

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The new movie also brings elements of novelty into the series as it explores much deeper themes of love and loss. More than a love story, the fourth installment of the series is a reflection on grief and on how to cope with such an unspeakable loss as the one Bridget is experiencing. It is also a powerful reminder that those we love never really leave us, even when they are gone. If part of the charm of Bridget Jones’s Diary was in portraying a relatable character for women all over the world who saw themselves in Bridget, the same can be said for this film. Many people in the audience might see themselves in Bridget’s grief, in her struggle to even imagine a life without Mark, or in the way each celebration and holiday seems to be marked by his absence, making many of the spectators feel once again seen in her character and story.

Despite the sad undertone, the movie manages to balance the more emotional ones with humour especially well, making the viewers laugh out loud and cry their hearts out in the same breath and within the same scene. Equally funny and tear-inducing, it shows us that life is filled with joy as well as sorrow and love as well as loss as these opposites often tend to go together. The structure of the film is also fascinating as it allows the plot to break away from the traditional love triangle structures that have now become widely associated with the romantic comedy genre in genre, and with the Bridget Jones franchise in particular as well.

Overall, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the perfect example of how to make an excellent sequel that remains true to the original material while also innovating it for the audience who might look for a deeper reflection on these very important themes and feelings all of us are attempting to navigate, just like Bridget herself.

★★★★

In UK cinemas 13th February 2025 / Renée Zellweger, Leo Woodall, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson / Dir: Michael Morris / 15 / Universal Pictures