Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy Is A Bittersweet Yet Beautiful Chapter In The Beloved Franchise

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy brought the beloved Renée Zellweger back as Bridget Jones in a brand new stage of her life. After the love of her life Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) was tragically killed during a humanitarian mission, Bridget is now widowed with two children, struggling to live with the grief. Don’t worry though, this installment has just as much heart and humor as the previous films.

While it was jarring to lose Mr. Darcy, a cornerstone of the franchise, the story perfectly captures a sad reality we all must deal with in life: loss. Bridget’s excitement for new love blended with her fear of moving on are refreshing to see in a romantic comedy, as many don’t dive into serious problems like this. I also appreciated the brief cameos from Firth that made the impact of his death that much more gut-wrenching.

Just when I thought my crush for Leo Woodall was gone, it came crawling back! The One Day actor stars in this film as Roxster, a young man who starts dating Bridget. The two embark on a fun, honeymoon phase romance, but it’s clear that Bridget needs something more — and someone older who can understand this stage of her life. However, I am forever grateful to Peacock for casting Woodall. This is my official request that he’s cast in more romantic comedies moving forward.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mr. Wallaker, a school teacher of Bridget’s oldest son and new love interest for Bridget. He is very similar to Mark Darcy, with his uptight, grumpy energy. However, the more you get to know him, you find a sweet man who is crazy for Bridget. Their slow burn romance was beautiful to watch unfold, but it was even sweeter to watch Mr. Wallaker help Bridget’s son grapple with the loss of his father.

Hugh Grant graces the screen as the awful player we can’t help but love. Daniel Cleaver and Bridget’s relationship has evolved quite a bit since the first film. The two now have a wonderful friendship and Daniel loves Bridget’s children. His arc in this story was finding it in his heart to forgive himself for not being in his estranged son’s life. Thankfully, Bridget reminds him it’s not too late to fix that relationship and we see Daniel start a new stage of his life.

While this story was beautiful and very different to the rest of the franchise, it had loads of callbacks and references that were a joy to uncover as the film went on. Whether it was Bridget’s Netflix password, her iconic pajamas returning, or the hilarious underwear bit, the Easter eggs were a blast to find. However, there was one callback that stood out amongst the rest. One of the final scenes finds Bridget running through the snow once again towards true love, which is reminiscent of the first film with her and Mark Darcy.

Even though Mr. Darcy is gone, he lives on through his children and through Bridget who loves him. It’s a bittersweet yet beautiful story that shows you there is still light even after the dark. This story helps Bridget find the light once again.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is now streaming on Peacock.