It was 24 years ago that Helen Fielding’s singleton creation hit the big screen and became a massive success for fans of romantic comedies. Now, after three previous movies, Bridget Jones is back, with what has been reported to be the final episode in her misadventures with life and love in Mad About The Boy. As a final bow, does it hit all the high notes of the past, or is it a movie too many?

Bridget Jones is now a widow with two children, and having lost her beloved Mr Darcy four years previously, she is under pressure to find a new man in her life. As usual with her existence, things don’t go according to plan when she meets Roxster, a man half her age and who she juggles with how she feels about that, while she also shows some interest in the new science teacher at her children’s school, Mr Wallaker.

The Bridget Jones saga has become one of the successes in British cinema, with its mix of slapstick, cringe-inducing humour and romanticism. The character of this single woman trying to make her way through life and finding the Mr Right has been so relatable to so many over the years, so this final outing needed to be as sharp as the previous films. Sadly, it isn’t. I’m not saying that the character of Bridget Jones hasn’t changed too much. She is still awkward, sometimes dopey, but constantly loveable. This new film just isn’t as bright and as witty.

It relies very much on tapping into the emotional journey. The first act is mainly focused on getting a tear or three out of the audience. In fact, it would be easy to say this is far more depressing than past adventures, as Bridget copes with being alone once more, dealing with others who have passed and living with two children, one who is struggling with the grief evoked by the passing of his father. Watching how a young, impressionable boy handles that difficult life change is one of the positive aspects of this film.

When the film decides to focus on Bridget’s new life, there are some amusing moments, but not as many as in the past. She gets herself in embarrassing situations, which have been sadly reduced due to showing them in the trailer. Her relationship with Roxster, the young man who saves her from a tree-climbing incident, is handled well, but it does become a little sickly sweet, something that never happened in previous films. Far more interesting is the slow-building relationship between Mr Wallaker, the new science teacher who loves a whistle.

There are moments that stretch belief. A birthday party for a TV celebrity seems filled with Bridget’s friends, leading to the question, “Does this woman have any friends? She has had to rely on her producer to invite everyone?” Another scene involving a bus filled with 8-year-olds who knew every word of The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” became bothersome. Speaking of music, the soundtrack is, as with past films, exceptional, and the songs do work with the prospected scenes.

As Bridget Renee Zellweger has lived the character so long, it’s like slipping into a comfortable pair of red pyjamas. She still has the energy of a woman living life to the full, although the facial expressions and mugging seem far more over the top this time. As Roxster, Leo Woodall, star of the TV series One Day, is perfectly fine as the younger man in Bridget’s life. Meanwhile, the consistently excellent Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mr Wallaker makes the most of the thinly written character. The film’s real saving grace is the return of Hugh Grant as Daniel (yes, he was presumed dead in a plane crash, but it is never fully explained). He gets all the best lines and relishes delivering them in the filthiest manner possible.

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is the weakest of the series, which is a shame. We wanted Bridget to bow out with a bang, but this is more of a whimper. Fans of the films will find no fault and will love the little nods to the past, but as a stand-alone film, it’s okay but nothing more.

3 out of 5

Director: Michael Morris

Starring: Renee Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Hugh Grant, Mila Jankovic, Casper Knopf, Elena Rivers, Colin Firth, Gemma Jones, Sally Phillips

Written by: Dan Mazer, Abi Morgan and (also based on the novel) Helen Fielding

Running Time: 124 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 13th February 2025