Mad about Zellweger and her latest ‘Bridget Jones’
Haven’t we had enough of Bridget Jones, the pleasantly plump, self-deprecating, man-obsessed singleton with the unfiltered mouth and uncanny ability to charm her way out of any disaster? And isn’t Bridget’s alter ego, Renee Zellweger a bit tired of revisiting one of her signature roles? The resounding answer is “no” to both. And if you’re like me, you wind up hoping her latest adventure, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” won’t be our last glimpse. “Bridget Jones’s Granny Panties” anyone?
Ah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and simply take pleasure in basking in what ranks as the finest of the three sequels to the 2001 smash, “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” You’ll be amazed by how much has happened in the eight years since “Bridget Jones’s Baby.” The most profound is the grief she’s enduring four years after the death of her beloved Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth), killed in Sudan while on a mission of mercy.
When we reconnect with Bridget, she is hardly the merry widow. She’s frazzled and defeated by motherhood. Her two small kids, Mable (Mila Jankovic) and Billy (Casper Knopf), are a handful. And her domestic skills (she accidentally flambés the pasta) are wanting. Worse, the only sitter available is her lascivious former boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), believed dead in “Bridget Jones’s Baby,” but very much alive here, evidenced by his harem of young beauties.
Sadly, there’s not nearly enough of him. But there IS plenty of Leo Woodall (“White Lotus”) as Bridget’s soon-to-be hunky new 29-year-old boyfriend, Roxster McDuff, and Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”) as Billy’s taciturn science teacher, Mr. Wallaker. Both ignite sparks opposite the always delightful Zellweger, who has never felt more comfortable in Bridget’s “enormous panties.” She’s got this character down pat, and it’s interesting to watch her and Bridget mature over the past 24 years. Both have come a long way.
Alas, the writing remains the franchise’s chief liability. The plotting is labored and predictable, but it helps having Bridget’s originator, novelist Helen Fielding, back in the fold, joined by newbies Dan Mazar (“Borat”) and Abi Morgan (“The Iron Lady”). They infuse “Mad About the Boy” with abundant heart, as well as subtle truths about aging, death and second chances. Don’t be surprised if you feel a tear welling from time to time, particularly during the handful of cutaways to Bridget imagining Mr. Darcy still gazing lovingly upon her.
Other franchise veterans include Emma Thompson (hilarious) as Bridget’s sarcastic gynecologist; and Shirley Henderson and Sally Phillips, as Bridge’s BFFs, Jude and Shazzer. Like Grant and Firth, we don’t see nearly enough of them, but with a runtime already exceeding two hours, something had to give, and director Michael Morris (the controversially Oscar-nominated “To Leslie”) opts to feature Woodall and Ejiofor instead. Both prove worthy of the spotlight, particularly the former and his ability to recreate the high level of romanticism Firth brought to the original. You barely notice the two-decade age gap between him and Zellweger.
As always, the bottom line in a Bridget Jones movie is the vast level of enchantment Zellweger injects. She’s never anything less than a joy, whether she’s making the most of her knack for physical comedy (literally out on a limb) or expressing genuine pathos when Bridget is at her most vulnerable.
It’s such a marvelous performance, that it raises the question of why “Mad About the Boy” went straight to streaming on Peacock instead of being granted the dignity of a short theatrical run to qualify Zellweger for the Oscars. Just be glad it’s found a home, thus giving fans yet another welcome opportunity to feed their Bridget jones.
Movie review
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Rated: R for language and some sex references
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones and Shirley Henderson
Director: Michael Morris
Writers: Helen Fielding, Dan Mazar and Abi Morgan
Runtime: 124 minutes
Where: Streaming on Peacock
Grade: B
