I have adored Bridget Jones ever since I first read about her in the British Council Library while doing my master’s, sometime around when the first film had just been released. I remember reading a review about how Renée Zellweger had put on weight and trained for one of the most marvellous British accents ever filmed on screen. That intrigued me enough to pick up Bridget Jones’s Diary, and from that moment on, I was hooked.
Bridget wasn’t just a character; she was a person who existed in a parallel universe, someone I could have bumped into at a bar, embarrassed myself in front of, and then laughed about it with her over a bottle of wine. She was silly, kind-hearted, brutally honest, and had a truckload of insecurities that made her incredibly relatable. She thought just like I did—only in a much quirkier, funnier, and more inimitable way.
So, of course, I followed her journey through Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, where I nearly lost my breath laughing when she found herself in a Thai prison and taught the inmates Like a Virgin, and then through Bridget Jones’s Baby, where she teamed up with another one of my all-time favourite actresses, Emma Thompson, who played Dr. Rawlings with her signature deadpan wit.
And now, here we are, 25 years later, with Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy—the final chapter. I was 24 when I first met Bridget, and now I’m going to be 50 as I say goodbye.
In this film, we meet Bridget (Renée Zellweger) as a mother of two, navigating life without Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), the love of her life, who has tragically passed away. Seeing her without him was heartbreaking, surreal even, but true to form, Bridget carries the movie with her classic blend of chaos, warmth, and self-deprecating humour. Zellweger, once again, is absolutely brilliant in this role. It was tailor-made for her—no one else could have played Bridget as perfectly as she does. Cate Blanchett, Rachel Weisz, and other names were once considered, but let’s be honest, Rachel Weisz is simply too pretty, and Cate Blanchett… well, she’s Cate Blanchett. But Renée? She is Bridget.
There’s a new romantic interest, of course. Enter Leo Woodall as Roxster, the much younger man who is charming, cheeky, and absolutely smitten with Bridget. But here’s the thing—why do people always frown upon an older woman dating a younger man? If a 50-year-old man marries a woman 20 years younger, no one bats an eyelid. But when it’s the other way around, it’s suddenly scandalous. Why can’t Roxster be smart, funny, emotionally available, and great in bed, all at once? I was completely rooting for him. Unfortunately, the film takes a more conventional route, and Bridget ultimately ends up with her children’s teacher, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Nothing wrong with that—it’s sweet, stable, and safe—but I wish they hadn’t made us fall in love with Roxster only to take him away.
One of the best things about this film is how it brings back so many familiar faces, even if only for fleeting moments. Gemma Jones returns as Bridget’s mum, still delightfully meddlesome. Jim Broadbent is back as her ever-suffering father. And then there’s Mark Darcy—Colin Firth—appearing in just a few scenes but making an unforgettable impact. That one look he gives her across the room, where only she can see him… it was poignant, beautiful, and so utterly Bridget Jones.
Her old friends are back too—Jude (Shirley Henderson), Shazzer (Sally Phillips), and Tom (James Callis)—which I was especially happy about since they were mostly absent in the last film. And, of course, Emma Thompson returns as Dr. Rawlings, stealing every scene she’s in with her impeccable timing and no-nonsense delivery.
At its heart, Mad About the Boy is a film about loss, love, and moving forward. It’s about finding new beginnings even when you think your best years are behind you. It made me laugh (because Bridget always makes you laugh), but it also made me cry. It made me miss my best friend. It made me miss the people I’ve lost over the years. And, most importantly, it made me love the people I do have in my life all the more.
There’s something incredibly special about following a character for 25 years, growing older alongside her. When I first met Bridget, I was young, full of dreams, and a bit of a mess—just like her. Now, as I near 50, I realise that life never quite stops being a mess, but that’s okay. As long as we have love, laughter, and the occasional disaster, we’ll be just fine.
Bridget once said, “You know, I never really understood why you needed someone else to make you feel whole… but as it turns out, you were right. I was just fine on my own. But with you, I feel perfect.”
And honestly? That’s how I feel about this film. I was fine without it. But having it in my life makes everything feel just a little bit more perfect.
Hearts Still Care 