Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - Navigating Love, Loss, and Laughter in a New Chapter
Photo Credits: Radio Times
Welcome back Bridget Jones!
The world’s iconic British, chaotic sensation, Bridget Jones, is back on the screen for her fourth film, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, and it is one of the best rom-com sequels yet!
Though Bridget Jones has a special place in my heart, I, without fail, always go into movie sequels with rather low hopes. The difficulty of being just as good as the other films is something more than a challenge. But Mad About the Boy undoubtedly proved me wrong. It delivers a heart-warming exploration of grief and healing while still embracing the signature humour that makes Bridget so unforgettable.
A quieter, more grounded take on the film series, it is filmed with many tearjerking observations about what it’s like to lose a parent or partner, yet still manage to find the strength within you to get out of bed every day and keep on living in each moment. The film is the epitome of an emotional whirlwind. One second, we are in fits of laughter; the next, it’s like the sun has turned to thunder. I can still recall the raw ache in my throat as I fought to hold back the tears that overwhelmed me, scene after scene.
Of course, Bridget would channel her funny, chaotic, self-deprecating personality into being an absolutely incredible mother - messy and scattered yet also playful and undoubtedly loving. Zellweger’s portrayal of a loveable yet deeply flawed character shows the impossibility of being conventionally ‘perfect’ and that it is okay to make mistakes and be clumsy, making her more lovable than ever. Jones’s witty internal monologue drives the film, making her relatable to all.
Her history and chemistry with Daniel Cleaver (played by the magnificent Hugh Grant) would keep him as a rock in her life, even if their romantic tension has faded. Furthermore, the unforgettable friendship group is back, making her returning relationships feel wonderfully lived-in and raw.
So much of the female experience is shaped by an unrelenting sense of inadequacy. From being scrutinised by society, measured against impossible standards, and then, perhaps most cruelly, becoming your own harshest critic. Women are often expected to be effortlessly polished, competent in every aspect of life, and immune to the stumbles and insecurities that make us human. Yet, Bridget Jones has always defied these expectations, embracing imperfection in a way that feels both radical and deeply relatable.
Unlike many rom-com heroines who are created to be universally ‘likable’ and ‘perfect’, Bridget has always been refreshingly real. She is messy, self-deprecating, and endlessly clumsy, but she’s also warm, determined, and full of heart. She reflects the very essence of womanhood. With its complexities, contradictions, and quiet triumphs,
it makes her an unforgettable heroin in cinematic history.