Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Beeban Kidron 2004

Sequels are funny things aren’t they? Either a second glimpse into the life of a character we have come to love or an opportunity to realise that we never really liked them in the first place.

Miss Jones is back and less than satisfied with her relationship with Mark Darcy (all the best men are called Mark you know) and who should reappear but Daniel Cleaver; anyone would think this was scripted! So basically Bridget has to make a choice about which man to have in her life, nice Mr. Darcy or evil Mr. Cleaver, you’d think it would be easy wouldnt you.

Oh how we laughed at Bridget Jones when she first hit our screens, how comical her social indiscretions were and how every female I knew (myself included) identified with her. And now, well, now I found the film far too cringe inducing to enjoy it fully. At the heart of this film is a simple, effective story; unfortunately a lot of tacky, annoying subplots have been shoveled on, distracting from what is a good romantic movie.

Renee Zellweger seems more English than ever, delivering self-deprecating charm and clumsiness. Colin Firth proves that being called Colin isn’t a hindrance in life and you can be sexy, suave, debonair and one of the finest actors in Britain today. Hugh Grant as ever is Hugh Grant and if you look closely you can see the slime trail he leaves about the place. The other actors are sidelined to the extent you wonder why they are in the film at all.

Overall I did like this film, but felt it was a slightly unnecessary sequel that could have been done a lot better and had few too many bizarre plot twists.