Movies

Why Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is more than just your usual Bridget rom-com

BBG News

For nearly three decades, Bridget Jones has symbolized the quintessential single woman longing for love and connection, characterized by her persistent fear of ending up alone and being consumed by Alsatians. In her ongoing quest for romance, Bridget (portrayed by Renée Zellweger) has chronicled her life through a diary. However, all that changes with the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

25 years since her first film appearance in “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” the fourth installment shifts focus, centering around themes of loss. At the conclusion of the third movie, Bridget is finally in a blissful relationship with her Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth), poised to experience the heteronormative joys commonly depicted for heroines in many romantic comedies’ ideal endings.

In the subsequent years, the events were clarified following the unfortunate demise of Mark, which left Bridget as a widow and a busy mother of two, seemingly living life at a fast pace while dressed in Penguin-themed pyjamas for school drop-offs.

Even though her friends advise her to use Tinder and start dating again, what Bridget truly doesn’t want is another romance. She has already found what she was searching for, only to lose it. Instead, she’s focusing on coping with the pain of that loss and learning to live life as a well-dressed, semi-polished professional once more.

In essence, although the romantic plots are significant, they only form a tiny part of the overall picture. The brief but restorative relationship between Bridget and the man who grew from her ‘man-tree’, Roxster (as portrayed by Leo Woodall in “One Day”), helps rejuvenate her spirit and encourages self-love within her.

She thrives under his gaze, transforming once again into the self-possessed, bold woman in large pants whom we all adore. She even rejects his feeble effort at reconciliation. As time passes, the slow-burning relationship with initially frosty Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor) deepens. Yet, one thing remains unchanged: her strong bond with her loved ones.

Despite being categorized as a romantic comedy, “Mad About the Boy” transcends that label. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the various loves we encounter in our complex, flawed adult experiences. These include the loves we’ve unfortunately let go, our family ties, cherished friendships, former work associates, and unconventional companions (like Emma Thompson portraying her gynecologist), as well as our past romances.

At its heart, Mad About the Boy explores various kinds of love which make Bridget feel cherished exactly as she is. Unlike many situations, there’s no pressure on Bridget to transform herself into a slimmer, smarter or wittier persona. This last chapter demonstrates that she has consistently discovered genuine, unfiltered affection in the most unexpected corners.

Bridget Jones returns from the dead, bolstered by her longtime, wickedly endearing pals such as Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), both work associates and lifelong confidants. This edition joyously honors friendship just as passionately as it does romance, be it Bridget jiving in her PJs with her kids or sharing girlish laughter with her best friend before a night out.

Daniel, the smooth-talking ladies’ man, acknowledges a touch of melancholy in himself, feeling somewhat “tragic.” He finds himself envious of Bridget’s bond with her children, Billy (or “Mini Darcy,” as Daniel nicknames him) and frank Mabel. This situation stirs within him the “remembrance of what could have been” had he not focused so much on flirting and instead cultivated his other relationships, such as the one with his son, Enzo.

Instead of being alone, Bridget now has a life overflowing with affection, a change she deeply values following the loss of her dearest love, Mark. It wasn’t about erasing him from her memory or searching for another ‘one’, but rather embracing the diverse types of love that have entered her life before and at this moment.

The closing sequence pays homage to Bridget’s significant relationships, artfully blending them into a single tableau of characters who gather on New Year’s Eve. Remarkably, she admits to coexisting with what she’s lost and still finding love, which is the enchanting essence of this film.

Bridget might be without Mark, but without love? Never.

In contrast to the vague and somewhat forgettable sequels, “Mad About the Boy” offers a revitalizing perspective as Bridget’s understanding of love has evolved. Gone is the self-doubt about her unworthiness of true love; instead, she finds herself inundated by the realization that it has, and forever will be, abundant within her surroundings.

Bridget Jones’s film, “Mad About the Boy,” is currently playing in UK movie theaters, while American viewers can stream it exclusively on Peacock.

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2025-02-14 19:49

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