Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025) Movie Drinking Game
Down a Shot: each time Walliker blows his trusty whistle
Down a Shot: each time Mabel asks a random man on the street whether he’s their new daddy
Down a Shot: for each dance sequence
By: Vidal D’costa (Two Beers) –
After losing the love of her life, Mark Darcy who (and I’m truly sorry in advance for this rather distasteful joke, because, well… Colin Firth, duh) goes out Kingsman-style, i.e. by stepping on a landmine while on assignment in Sudan, Bridget Jones is rendered a widow and a single mum to Mabel and Billy- two bundles of joy and simultaneously harbingers of sheer pandemonium. Once hopelessly smitten, Bridget is now hopelessly devastated and directionless. Her widow status also means that her sex life is yet again public property and thus she’s unfortunately on the receiving end of stigma as well as ‘well-intentioned’ but entirely unsolicited advice from family members and her friend circle alike. Darcy’s fourth death anniversary, which coincides with his birthday, doesn’t exactly make matters easier for her, either, with regards to moving on.
A Toast
While the Bridget Jones franchise hasn’t hid that it is very much a by the book romcom, even fully embracing its sappy and light-hearted tone in pretty much all the instalments so far, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (the fourth instalment based on Helen Fielding’s novel by the same name) is far from a typical love triangle as insinuated by the misleading marketing and doesn’t shy from leaning more towards exploring sensitive themes or heavier moods- not just from the perspective of its usually bubbly titular protagonist but also from that of a reformed ex flame, former skirt-chaser Daniel Cleaver, who has undergone a great deal of emotional growth/development after a near death experience, and now shares similar sentiments regarding love and loss with Bridget (you might even add that Bridget is most certainly not ‘all by herself’ in this journey of longing).
As it progresses, the supposedly superficial, sappy façade gives way for a far deeper navigation of death, finding magic or a spark once again, and how neither immortality nor stability in terms of familial life/one’s love life are guaranteed. In an instance of the latter, Cleaver frets over an unstable relationship with his grown-up son Enzo and ex-wife, while Bridget, too, prefers, or rather craves stability rather than the occasional booty call. The themes of instability also tie in with the previous movies as Mark Darcy also struggled with commitment and his fair share of heartbreak until he found a sense of stability with Bridget.
Apart from tackling complex themes, the dry British humour in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy also makes a paint by the numbers script (that one’s obviously come to expect) far more palatable, too. And like a fine aged wine paired with a side of cheese, the movie also features its fair share of corny and cheesy lines, gags, and interactions.
As far as character traits go, an overthinking Bridget herself is as relatable as ever- having lost the one man who loved her and taught her self-acceptance, Darcy’s death is obviously a blow to her self-esteem, which now sinks to a new low, as depicted via her reverting back to the quintessential red pyjamas and holding on for dear life to a single page in her diary featuring a last entry comprised of just two heartbreaking words: Mark gone. Much like the Oscar-winning The Substance highlighted the nightmarish treatment of women who are instantly labelled as ‘past their shelf life’, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, too, shines a light on ageing and the fetishization of middle-aged women by younger lovers, both of which feed into Bridget’s lack of self-confidence, and she is thus haunted by the crippling worry that she may never meet another like Darcy who’ll love her just the way she is.
Ghosting is yet another concept that the middle-aged Bridget finds difficult to digest, especially with her grief clashing with her plans to dive back into the dating pool, albeit with hesitation. A shallow fling with a young park ranger named Roxster in particular also brings up painful memories of similar heartbreaking experiences with commitment-phobe Cleaver in the past. These aren’t the only references to Bridget’s past romantic mishaps, as earlier on in the movie, while on her way to a memorial service for Darcy, she walks past window panes offering a glimpse into the lives of happy neighbours gathering around dinner tables which mimic similar visuals from the 2004 sequel ‘The Edge of Reason’ in which Bridget tearfully gazes out her balcony at a stirring neighbourhood and a world that keeps on turning even after her break-up with Darcy due to a petty misunderstanding.
Nostalgia galore is also served up, such as young Mabel sharing her mum’s affinity for ridiculous (-ly cute) head gear ranging from fuzzy bunny ears, plastic fairy wings, et al or the continuing saga of men amusingly falling in ditch water (an excuse for the writers to include yet another ode to the iconic wet shirt scene from the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth… not that I’m complaining!), as well as bittersweet nods to Bridget’s signature dish of blue soup as Mabel wreaks havoc with blue slime, and later Bridget and her friends toast to Darcy’s memory with blue cocktails. The infamous vegan dolphin condoms are also revisited briefly.
The franchise remains unbeatable in terms of truly endearing opening credits and staying true to the same. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy opens with Bridget and the kids dancing their hearts out to Bowie’s “Modern Love”. Bridget also busts out dance moves resembling an animatronic robot as Paloma Faith’s “Til I’m Done” blares out loud at her workplace, signifying our heroine’s optimistic and relentless spirit. “I’d Do Anything”, a show tune from the musical Oliver!, also plays a pivotal role in the movie and lyrics such as “What? Fisticuffs” perfectly encapsulate the late Darcy’s eternal love for Bridget, particularly his willingness to literally resort to fisticuffs to save her honour in the previous outings.
As Bridget Jones, Renee Zellweger brings an eternally infectious, zesty energy to the ‘queen of cringe but free’ while also balancing the gutting nature of her wallowing in grief and self-pity. The American actress also convincingly pulls off that English accent even in scenes that require the character to speak with a lisp due to an unconventional lip plumping procedure gone wrong. Hugh Grant is right at home in the role of the new and improved (but still perpetually horny) Daniel Cleaver, especially evoking sympathy towards this character with his monologues as he reflects on his own errors as a paternal figure and his immaturity in the past. While initially, Colin Firth occasionally ‘materialising’ out of thin air as Darcy felt somewhat amusing, as if the movie was playing around with the archetype of the ‘wife who dies at the beginning of the movie’, his scenes in the movie genuinely had me tearing up, particularly when he shows up to sing lullabies to Mabel and Billy at bedtime.
Chiwetel Ejiofor’s mannerisms as teacher Scott Walliker are scarily Darcy-esque, and if you thought Darcy’s arrogant comments regarding Bridget’s verbal diarrhoea at the turkey curry buffet oozed second-hand embarrassment in the first movie, wait till you watch the scene between Bridget and the rather nihilistic, self-proclaimed realist Mr. Walliker engaging in a conversation on the existence of heaven and souls in front of an entire classroom during a role play scenario on job day, which starts out in a civilized fashion before drastically veering into awkward territory!
Mila Jankovic is a hoot as the mischievous Mabel and knocks it out of the park with her impeccable comic timing even at such a young age, while Casper Knopf turns in a sincere performance as Billy. Emma Thompson, too, provides laughs and frank advice galore as she reprises her role as Dr Rawlings, a sardonic gynaecologist who handles Bridget’s fragile and defensive mental state with great care, guiding her on matters of the heart, on coping with loss in a healthy fashion, and on accepting her age too. Nico Parker as Bridget’s new nanny and confidant Chloe is another new addition to the ensemble and the young woman’s blossoming friendship with Bridget is refreshing to watch.
Beer Two
While Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall (the latter plays Roxster) are convincing in their respective roles, their character arcs could have been more polished, and both Roxster and Walliker could have benefited from far more layered characterisation rather than falling prey to a cliched, rushed portrayal.
Verdict
Overall Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is a tad melodramatic, yet simultaneously melancholic and mature in the right measures. And while fans might have kept their distance due to the writers ‘committing the cardinal sin’ of killing off the beloved Darcy, the full picture is entirely the opposite as the movie metaphorically keeps him alive in spirit, ultimately acting as a tender celebration of a character who’s still loved just the way he is, as the perfect soulmate who’d do anything for Bridget. Personally, it’s also the first movie in the franchise that’s made me weep like a baby!
