Bridget
Jones and Renée Zellweger are back for a third film – and a more
content, more wise Bridget makes for a better, more genuinely funny film
Cath
Clarke | Time Out London – September 9, 2016
Clever old Bridget. There’s been a hell of a lot criticism of her for
crimes against feminism. But here she is, triumphantly returning in her
forties, less of a twit, funnier, wittier, and – perhaps most
importantly – happier with herself. And unlike the last film in the
series, ‘The Edge of Reason’, you don’t need to knock back several
large glasses of chardonnay for this film to make you laugh.
‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’ picks up a few years after her relationship
with Mark Darcy went pear-shaped. (If you’ve read Helen Fielding’s
novel ‘Mad About the Boy’ – the one that bumped off Darcy – ignore
it. Pretend it doesn’t exist). Bridge is now 43 and single. But instead
of crying into her cardigan about dying alone and being eaten by
Alsatians, she has thrown herself into her brilliant career as a top TV
news producer. (Honestly, she can even pronounce the names of obscure
genocidal dictators).
Her mates have all settled down and babied-up, so she’s got a new best
friend, hard-partying millennial Miranda (Sarah Solemani from the British
sitcom ‘Him and Her’). After declaring that she’s past her sexual
sell-by date, Bridget has two drunken one-night stands and finds herself
unexpectedly up the duff. Is the dad emotionally constipated Mark Darcy
(Colin Firth)? Or sexy American billionaire Jack (Patrick Dempsey)?
The script is a team effort by Dan Mazer (who’s worked with Sacha Baron
Cohen), Helen Fielding and Emma Thompson, who writes herself a hilarious
role as a sharp-tongued doctor and gives herself the best line (ordering
men out of the delivery room she tells them: ‘My ex said it was like
watching his favourite pub burn down’). Smartly, and without banging on
about it, the script acknowledges that Bridge obsessing about calories and
the size of her arse is a bit, well, ’90s. And the love story isn’t
about the blokes, but the baby brewing inside her. I’ve never liked Renée
Zellweger more as a warmer and wiser Bridget Jones – but still
capable of making a total prat of herself.
‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’ is funny and charming. What’s missing
is Hugh Grant as Daniel ‘invest in lockable knickers’ Cleaver. And
this being a Bridget Jones film, we get an awkward embarrassing cameo –
from Ed Sheeran (a bit budget, guys). Bridget 2.0 is also a bit clean and
wholesome. Let’s have some more filthy sexual fantasy jokes about
Prince Harry next time, please.
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