The beloved Bridget Jones has returned with the newest and final movie in the franchise titled “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.” The film was released to Peacock on Feb. 14. and follows Bridget (Renée Zellweger) as a single mother four years after the death of her husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” is a bittersweet departure from the humorous feel of the past films. Dealing with grief and rediscovering love, this film is far deeper compared to its predecessors.
The film begins with Bridget attending a celebration of life for her late husband while sly comments are thrown her way, pressuring her to get back into dating. In response, Bridget refuses to reenter the dating world, claiming her main focus is on her young children, Billy (Casper Knopf) and Mable (Mila Jankovic).
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” invites audiences into Bridget’s inner monologue, which is filled with unwelcome advice from her family and friends. She eventually decides to turn her life around and take the advice of her father who, before his death, asked not just to survive but to fully live her life.
In classic Bridget Jones fashion, this film includes two love interests, Roxster (Leo Woodall) a 29-year-old park ranger, and Billy’s science teacher Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Through all of her relationship troubles, Bridget finds herself again. She returns back to her job as a TV producer and helps her children deal with their father’s death.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” highlights the all-consuming nature of grief, and how it can evolve. Even through these whirlwind romances, Bridget still feels that a part of her and her children are missing. While she is never fully able to rid herself of this grief, towards the end of the film, the moments of grief result in remembrance and appreciation.
Bridget and her children learn to live with their grief and turn their moments of sadness into moments of reflection, always remembering their father. The film also touches on the need for friendship and support. All of her core friends from past movies join the cast, still there for her just as they were in the past films.
The most notable return comes from Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) who was a part of Bridget’s tumultuous love triangle in the first and second films. Through the help of her friends and family, Bridget finds a new purpose and turns her life around.
The film is full of classic Bridget Jones moments — like her getting stuck in a tree — and it still carries the charm of the other films. However, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” is much more than a classic rom-com, it’s an exploration of grief and a love letter to friends and family.
