Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Review [spoilers ahead]

 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Review

I still vividly remember the feeling I had before watching the first Bridget Jones film. I was in my early teens, utterly enamored with Colin Firth ever since Pride and Prejudice, and the idea of him competing against Hugh Grant — my favorite from Four Weddings and a Funeral, had me completely invested.

I loved it.

Now in my early twenties, I've seen all three films several times; they've become my comfort movies, along with countless realizations about the series. 

One realization, as I've grown, is that Bridget Jones was never fat.

I just finished watching Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the final chapter in the series and I am in awe; it felt as if a chapter of my life had just ended.

I still recall how I felt when I first saw the film in my teens. It was fun and fascinating, and I hoped that as I got older, I’d continue to experience that joy. Rewatching it with a fresh perspective and after countless relationships —I still relate to Bridget on many levels: from an overbearing mother and body dysmorphia to unhealthy coping mechanisms. 

(Colin Firth, Renee Zellwegger, Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason, 2004)

I went to the cinema today with little expectation — except for the shocking fact that Colin Firth would have minimal participation, I was devastated. How am I supposed to watch the film without him?

Still, I enjoyed the film, even if I didn’t anticipate crying every 15 minutes. The theater’s audience might not have been familiar with the series, but I was excited for what was to come.

In this installment, Bridget is dealing with the loss of Mark Darcy, four years after his death. Now widowed with two young children, she is stressed, lost, and unmistakably Bridget Jones with her trademark unhealthy coping mechanisms. 

Her friend group is still there — each thriving in their own way, though some remain stuck in their old habits and Bridget is overwhelmed by conflicting advice: move on, focus on her children, get back to work or simply just get laid.

(Sally Philips, James Callis, Renee Zellwegger, Shirley Henderson in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, 2025)

Then there’s a flashback featuring Jim Broadbent as her father, dying with the heartfelt wish that Bridget would truly live rather than merely survive. I felt robbed of the iconic father-daughter banter and the dynamic chemistry between Broadbent and Renee Zellweger — one of the elements I had always looked forward to.

Gemma Jones, as Mrs. Jones, has little screentime now; she’s living in a hotel-like retirement home with her best friend Una. I also missed the foundation of the series—the dynamic between mother and daughter. It felt like this final chapter wouldn’t give us one last proper look at the characters we’ve loved for decades.

(Gemma Jones, Renee Zellwegger, Jim Broadbent in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason, 2004)

We see Miranda (Bridget's best friend from work) hosting a show alongside a new character, Talitha (played by Josette Simon), but I missed the well-rounded character of Cathy, the make up artist, whose warmth and friendship were lost in the process.

(Joanna Scanland, Sarah Solemani in Bridget Jones' Baby, 2016)

Emma Thompson, playing Bridget's doctor (her gynaecologist, in fact), is brilliant. Introduced in Bridget Jones' Baby (2016), her character was high on my list to watch out for, and she was just phenomenal. After all, it's Emma Thompson—what did you expect?

(Emma Thompson, Renee Zellwegger in Bridget Jones' Baby, 2016)

Mad About the Boy introduced many new faces, such as the school mothers, which contributed little to the plot. It made me wonder if there was a mishap in the writers’ room during this final hurrah.

I loved the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) Easter eggs from the previous films: the condom, the old apartment where Bridget once lived, the see-through outfit with the skirt, the jumper (ugh, my heart), and so much more.

After Miranda’s surprise revelation of creating a Tinder account and climbing a “man-attracting tree,” she meets Roxster—a 29-year-old who helps her and her children move on. The chemistry between Renee and Leo Woodall was evident, and despite my lingering trauma from Leo’s character in The White Lotus, he was charming and brought depth to his role as Roxster.

(Renee Zellwegger, Leo Woodall in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, 2025)

I must add that the soundtrack for this film is a chef’s kiss—and there's even a new song by Olivia Dean. Like sign me up.

We also meet Scott Wallaker, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, as the second love interest, but something was lacking. His character development felt rushed, and the nod to Mr. Darcy with a recycled, rushed snow scene — didn’t build the chemistry between him and Renee as well as Leo and Roxster did. I would have preferred more buildup, perhaps ending with them dating in the snow rather than a one-year-later arc.

(Chiwetel Eijofor, Renee Zellwegger in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, 2025)

Bridget’s children, Billy and Maple, were fantastic—a great casting choice. They delivered the emotion and support needed to close this chapter, emphasizing one of the film's messages that there is life after death.

(Mila Jankovic, Renee Zellwegger, Casper Knopf in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, 2025)

And how could I forget Hugh Grant’s Daniel Cleaver? Now a silver fox, he still delivers his signature one-liners and notorious love for a "Dirty Bitch." Although his storyline was brief, it fittingly mirrored Bridget’s love for her dad and hinted that Daniel should reconnect with his estranged son.

(Hugh Grant, Renee Zellwegger in Bridget Jones' Diary, 2001)

Some reviews claim this version of Bridget is too sad and not funny enough, but I think that's exactly the point. We've grown with her, and now, as the series closes, we see how she has evolved despite losing Mark Darcy and her dad.

(Renee Zellwegger, Colin Firth in Bridget Jones' Diary, 2001)

Her letter to Mark on his birthday was my favorite moment — the raw emotion, the grief pouring out, and the doubt about ever truly living without the one you want by your side. Renee Zellweger, you portrayed it so beautifully.

Leaving the cinema, simmering with these thoughts, I realized that Bridget Jones achieved what many romcoms lack today — a lasting impact for all ages. 

We are all a Bridget at some point in our lives.

Now, please excuse me as I'll be sobbing with a bowl of blue string soup in hand, blasting All By Myself until I pass out.

PS: Give Renee Zellweger her British citizenship already.

@dulcineazulueta