Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025)

★★★★ The iconic romantic-comedy franchise sees Renée Zellweger return once again as the hapless romantic in this hilarious and bittersweet fourth instalment

Watch Feb 23, 2025 0 1 Add to Reading List

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Dir: Michael Morris

Cast: Renée Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Nico Parker

The iconic romantic-comedy franchise sees Renée Zellweger return once again as the hapless romantic in this hilarious and bittersweet fourth instalment

Having first appeared in articles in The Independent in 1995, Bridget Jones has gone onto become one of the most iconic British heroines of modern times, and following the success of author Helen Fielding‘s novelisation “Bridget Jones’ Diary” in 1996, a theatrical adaptation was almost inevitable. Before even becoming a bestseller, the novel was quickly snapped up by Working Title, who looked to adapt the novel at the turn of the new millennium. Following the studio’s announcement in 2000 as to who would be portraying the titular star, there was public outcry from fans of the novel and members of the British public. Working Title’s decision to cast American actress Renée Zellweger was highly controversial at the time, given the source material’s quintessentially British sensibilities. However, following extensive work with an accent coach, Zellweger quickly won over her doubters following the movie’s release in 2001, and now, four films and a quarter of a century later, it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role.

Despite winning two Academy Awards since she first portrayed Bridget on the big screen, Zellweger is perhaps best known for her role as the hapless romantic, having recieved acclaim from critics and audiences for her performances in the role. Famously, Americans have a history of butchering British accents, Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins” springs to mind, but Zellweger’s south-easter English accent has set the standard over the years as to how you nail an English accent.

Thanks to Zellweger’s work, the film became a huge success critically and financially, which resulted in the less memorable sequels “The Edge of Reason” (2004) and “Bridget Jones’ Baby” (2016). Now, almost a decade on from her last big-screen diary entry, we once again catch up Zellweger’s Bridget in the eagerly awaited fourth instalment “Mad About the Boy”.

“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” Trailer | Universal

Having been stumbling through life 24 years ago, Bridget finally achieved her happy ending following the events of the last film, by finally marrying Colin Firth‘s Mark Darcy, whom she also has two children with. However, the unlucky-in-love Bridget has had her fairytale life snatched away, as we find out that her dear Mr. Darcy has been tragically killed while on a humanitarian mission in Sudan. In the four years that have elapsed, Bridget, now a single-parent to her children Billy (Casper Knopf) and Mabel (Mila Jankovic), has struggled to get her life back on track, having left her job as a successful television producer. Following a consultation from her gynaecologist -not a psychiatrist- Dr. Rawlings (Emma Thompson), Bridget remembers her late father’s wish that she get back to living her life, and soon finds the motivation to move on from Mark’s death.

Having re-entered the world, Bridget swiftly is re-hired as a producer on television programme “Better Women”, co-hosted by her friend Miranda (Sarah Solemani) and Talitha (Josette Simon), and also finds herself in a whirlwind romance with Hamstead Heath park ranger Roxster (Leo Woodall). Now once again enjoying work, along with her love life with the decades-younger Roxter, Bridget hires exceptional young nanny Chloe (Nico Parker) to help take care of Mabel and Billy, the latter having become increasingly distant as pointed out to Bridget by whistle-blowing science teacher Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

It is an impressive achievement to see Zellweger and her returning co-stars re-inhabit such iconic roles so seamlessly despite a nine-year hiatus. Having been absent in the last film, Hugh Grant‘s welcome return as the womanising Daniel Cleaver proves to be a more than justifiable stand in for the fleeting Colin Firth, who briefly appears to Bridget in spirit throughout pivotal moments in her new life. The years have not been kind to Bridget or Daniel, both of whom are dealing with their own existential crises, with the latter reflecting on whether as to whether his years of being a Lothario have rendered him a sad and lonely old man. It is a triumphant return to the series for Grant, who now serves as one of Bridget’s closest confidants, as he delivers some of the best comedic lines of the entire movie.

I think Helen Fielding, who adapts her own novel alongside co-writers Dan Mazar and Abi Morgan, makes the smart creative choice to tone down some of the more ludicrous, almost situational humour of the earlier films. While she still proves to be a klutz at times, getting stuck up trees and dropping pamphlets on sexually transmitted diseases a busy playground, Bridget has matured a lot since we first her 24 years ago, and it shows. The jokes in “Mad About the Boy” that truly land are those that the British public can relate to, especially those who have grown up alongside Bridget as she has transcended from a lonely 32-year-old, to a put together, proud mother of two children.

With age however comes tragedy, and our inability at times to move, and it is these increasingly sentimental moments as Bridget attempts to move on from Mark Darcy that prove to be surprisingly emotional. Director Michael Morris, best known for directing Andrea Riseborough to a surprise Oscar-nomination in “To Leslie” manages to bring an impressive amount of dramatic heft to proceedings, which continues to have you invested in a character we have been following for most of her adult life.

Far and away the strongest outing in the beloved romantic-comedy franchise since the first film, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” proves to be the funniest of all four instalments and also the most emotionally touching, and while the final act is guilty of becoming a bit too over-sentimental, the moments of levity provided by the Zellweger and her co-stars prevent it from becoming too soppy.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is now showing in UK Cinemas