11 Shocking Thoughts After Finally Watching the Bridget Jones Sequels

Approximately nine years following the birth of her child, and nearly 25 years since she first began her diary, Bridget Jones is making a comeback in a 2025 film titled “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy”. This movie will premiere for subscribers of Peacock this upcoming weekend, giving fans of the beloved character another chance to enjoy her escapades, with actress Renée Zellweger reprising her role.

After catching a glimpse of the trailer for “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy”, it brought back memories of how much I used to love “Bridget Jones’s Diary” when I first watched it. However, since this is the fourth installment in the series, it occurred to me that I had missed out on both of its preceding sequels – a fact I hadn’t realized about one of the most beloved romantic comedies in existence.

To catch up on the latest Bridget Jones movies, I had to quickly watch “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason” from 2004 and “Bridget Jones’s Baby” from 2016. Now that I’ve done so, there are several points we absolutely should discuss before Movie 4 comes along and catches our attention.

Renée Zellweger Doesn’t Get Enough Credit As A Rom-Com Ace

It’s commonly acknowledged that Renee Zellweger is an accomplished actor, particularly in the realm of romantic comedies. Over time, perhaps we’ve underestimated her talent in this genre. Despite not enjoying the sequels as much as “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, my respect for her acting skills has remained steadfast. By the way, I highly recommend watching “Down With Love”. It’s a truly underrated gem of hers that deserves more recognition.

Bridget Didn’t Nearly Deserve The Fat Jokes These Flicks Lob At Her

I was hoping that the sequels to “Bridget Jones’s Diary” would address the criticism of fat-shaming. My hazy recollection of the movie suggests that it contained elements of this, as seen in the films adapted from Helen Fielding’s work. The double dose of “The Edge of Reason” and “Bridget Jones’s Baby” seemed to reinforce this unwanted aspect to a greater extent.

I Draw The Line At Two Montage Needle Drops, Ms. Jones

In a brief scene towards the end of “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” three different songs are played – “Everlasting Love,” then transitioning to “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything,” and finally ending with “Crazy In Love.” While this could be an effective sequence in a longer scene or if there’s a deeper meaning behind it, for the sake of maintaining a balanced soundtrack and avoiding excessive use of music, it would be best to limit the number of songs played in a montage to a maximum of two.

How Does Bridget Distrust Mark, But Keep Letting Daniel Play Her For A Sucker?

Approximately 85-90% of the Bridget Jones series revolves around the main character, a modern woman, repeatedly suspecting that Mark is unfaithful. It’s understandable that various circumstances lead her to this conclusion, but following The Edge of Reason, it seems Bridget should have understood that this man, despite marrying and divorcing someone else, truly loves her! My speculation is that this persistent suspicion keeps Mark Darcy vigilant since he’s proven more than capable of standing up for himself against any man who attempts to challenge him.

Bridget Should Have Considered Dating Rebecca

Regarding the movie “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”, there’s an unexpected twist near the end where Rebecca (played by Jacinda Barrett), who was believed to be a fan of Mark, is instead attracted to Bridget herself. They share a kiss, and surprisingly, Bridget doesn’t seem bothered in a forward-thinking scene for a 2004 romantic comedy. This moment made me ponder if Bridget should have given some thought to exploring a relationship beyond her traditional heterosexual lifestyle.

Bridget Jones’s Baby Really Doesn’t Feel The Same Without Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant’s decision to step away from Bridget Jones 3 seems justified considering my observation that Bridget often falls into temptation when she and Mark split up. However, the contrived death plot twist was equally uncomfortable, and I must admit that I missed Grant’s character Daniel Cleaver in the storyline. Nevertheless, his return for Mad About The Boy brings me a sense of joy, but also raises some concerns.

Mamma Mia Helped This Three-quel Go Into Production, Didn’t It?

Isn’t it wonderful when a romantic comedy revolving around doubtful parentage catches your attention? I think that the success of “Mamma Mia” in 2008 probably played a role in its initial release. And, of course, that success likely paved the way for “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” in 2018. Regardless of how it happened, I’m pleased to see Colin Firth back on screen – even if it pushes my own mental boundaries a bit.

Patrick Dempsey And Colin Firth Need To Work Together Again

Among the highlights of “Bridget Jones’s Baby” is the entertaining dynamic between Mark Dempsey and Colin Firth, who portrayed rival suitors. Even though I missed the fights between Firth and Hugh Grant from the earlier films, his sparring with the cast member from “Grey’s Anatomy” was captivating. It would be delightful to see them as a romantic couple in a future romantic comedy rather than just acting as potential suitors.

Mark Darcy Should Have Run Off With Dr. Rawlings

Despite the fact that by the time we reach “Bridget Jones’s Baby,” the discussion might seem irrelevant, I must express regret – Mark and Dr. Rawlings (Emma Thompson) seemed a more fitting pair than he ever did with Bridget. If the narrative had concluded in “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” it could have made sense. Rest assured, I am far from dropping this topic of discussion.

These Sequels Are Awkwardly Topical For Rom-Coms

In a more casual and straightforward manner, let me rephrase this: Unlike what some might think, Bridget Jones’s Diary wasn’t just a lighthearted romantic comedy. Instead, it showcased Bridget’s struggle to assert herself and avoid falling for the wrong men. Therefore, including a scene in The Edge of Reason where Bridget gifts an entire Thai women’s prison with wonderbras and chocolates was quite an unconventional decision.

In “Bridget Jones’s Baby,” an alternative version of Pussy Riot was created for Mark to argue in court, and Bridget’s workplace transformed into a tabloid. While I could see how this could potentially work within the narrative, I found it less engaging in the actual execution.

I Kind Of Wish Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy Was The Only Sequel

My main criticism, from a storytelling perspective, is that Helen Fielding’s choice to have Mark Darcy die in “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy” was likely influenced by the passing of her real-life husband. Regrettably, I feel that this tragic event seems to unintentionally make certain chapters in the book repetitive and redundant, making me wish that “Mad About The Boy” was the sole sequel in the series.

In a simpler, more conversational way: Instead of following Sylvester Stallone’s traditional approach to watching “Rocky” by starting with the original and then moving on to “Rocky Balboa,” we can jump straight to the latter film. This lets us enjoy the emotional depth of a romantic comedy (rom-com) scenario, like Bridget Jones losing Mark Darcy, without having to endure her repeated weight shaming or being drawn into a series of farcical situations.

Despite everything I’ve considered so far, I remain optimistic about “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy”. It won’t be too much longer before we dive into another chapter of this beloved romantic comedy series, as it will become available for streaming on Peacock starting February 13th. If you reside in a different region, cinemas are expected to screen the movie the following day.

If you don’t mind, I plan on re-watching the movie “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and imagine Mark Darcy leaving his ordinary life for an exciting spy career instead. I’m not sure how I’ll retcon him as a non-deadbeat dad, but I’ve got some time to figure it out.

2025-02-13 01:09