Michael Morris delivers a film that initially captures the charm and wit of the original Bridget Jones series – at least in the first half. However, as Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy leans into its sentimental core, the emotional weight feels somewhat underdeveloped, leaving the latter half struggling to sustain the same energy.
In recent years we have seen an influx of films exploring older women having a romance with a younger man like The Idea of You, Babygirl, A Family Affair. The last two of which both star Nicole Kidman. And now, everyone’s beloved, unapologetically chaotic and relatable Bridget Jones finds herself in the same situation. A decade has passed since we last saw her, and while this sequel embraces a more mature tone, Bridget’s signature charm remains. But is that enough to carry the film?
Bridget Jones has discovered Tinder and to her surprise she finds a match. While online dating is a modern world reality, we all dread and is often a cringe-worthy affair, the film wisely spares us from too much app-based awkwardness, instead focusing on the adventure that follows.
Though her new boyfriend is more than 20 years younger, she fully embraces the whirlwind romance, but this all takes an unexpected turn for her. While Bridget, once again, tries to figure things out in her life and her misfortunes, we go on a journey with her as she navigates her family, her job and a new boyfriend.
Beneath the humor, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy explores deeper themes of aging, grief, and motherhood, adding a layer of complexity to Bridget’s ever-complicated life.
With Leo Woodall in the cast and all the trailers we have seen, it was expected for him to be used as eye candy, especially after his role in One Day. His storyline seemed to be used for comedic effect. Meanwhile, Hugh Grant’s Daniel Cleaver is a little older but no less mischievous than before, with his roguish humor delivering some of the biggest laughs. However, even Daniel seems to have done some soul-searching with age, adding a surprisingly reflective edge to his character.
The first half of the movie is filled with classic Bridget Jones chaos—awkward encounters, witty dialogue, and those all-too-relatable life mishaps. However, as the film progresses, it struggles to balance humor, melancholy, and emotional depth while maintaining engagement. While a great idea for a storyline, it did make me look at the clock a couple of times. With a few moments that made me think “okay, I guess it ends there, great” yet it never did. And while the ending seemed like a logical decision to bring it all back around and finish off on a sentimental note, the whole sentimental part seemed to be lacking.
Final Thoughts
For all the Bridget fans, this is certainly a great comeback! It delivers nostalgia, humor, and heartfelt moments wrapped in a classic rom-com package. But for the rest of us, perhaps there isn’t much about the film to keep you engaged for the entirety of the 2 hours. There will be a few laughs, a few ‘shed a tear’ moments, and in overall – a perfect cocktail for a romcom, but in reality, it seems like a bit of a drag. It is a film for the right audience. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is worth watching for fans, but not a must-see for everyone else.
3/5
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Love for film has always been a family thing - cozy evenings watching something we’re truly invested in, discovering new directors, and obsessively bingeing entire filmographies (latest fixation: Andrei Tarkovsky and Pedro Almodóvar). My parents introduced me to the world of cinema through Django Unchained and Apocalypse Now, that is when I realised what films can be…it’s a canon event. I studied Economics and Philosophy at the University of Manchester but squeezed in a year of Film Studies because, well… cinema. I love the way films make you feel and I definitely believe that we have different views hence different reviews. While cinematic masterpieces exist, the ones that truly matter are the ones that stay with you long after the credits roll. Beyond my TikTok and Instagram film pages, I lift, paint, play instruments, and (questionably) did ballet. Creativity shapes how I see film. Favourite 4: Back to the Future, Stalker, Poor Things, Spirited Away.