by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
With the fourth entry in Bridget Jones franchise releasing, it was high time I gave its predecessors a shot. Plus, being one of the resident rom-com reporters here on the site, it’s good to see the classics. This was not as nearly value-added as I would have liked, but it’s better than some other series that have lasted this long.
On a separate but equally important note, my prior exposure to Renée Zellweger consists of a joke that Family Guy made about her, The Bee Movie, Jerry Maguire, and Judy. Now that’s not to say she’s the only star or magnet in the Bridget Jones franchise, but it is made or broken depending on how much you enjoy her performance as the titular Jones.
Some spoilers ahead
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
This the most unlikable I found Bridget. She is fickle and silly and gullible to a point of it being sad. It’s good that she is backed up splendidly by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Their charisma is more than enough to cover for Bridget’s lack of it. That said, I can see what Zellweger is going for. I just don’t think it does the trick of charming me. Also, it’s hard to enjoy a romantic comedy when there’s a lack of comedic characters. I don’t even remember the names of the sassy fiends who back Bridget up. We could be doing better.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason (2004)
I almost considered just hitting copy and paste with my review of the first movie. If there were any significant differences between these two flicks, I couldn’t tell. Bridget is still naive. Grant and Firth are charming. Two successful and powerful men fawn over Bridget. She bounces between the two of them. I’m bored just thinking about it.
Rating: Didn’t Like It
Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)
Alright, now we’re getting somewhere fun. We get Patrick Dempsey as the eccentric American pining for Jones, which juxtaposes nicely against Firth. Bridget can’t just pretend to be in her 20s, making dumb decisions. And the story is actually empowering to an extent. Having this dumb person buckle down and do everything to support herself without her partners is cool to see. The humor lands a little more on this one, as Bridget accepts the next stage in her life and reflects on that in her jokes. Plus, the British humor works well. The 2016 English are a little less dry with their than they were in the early 2000s.
Rating: Liked It
Does this franchise belong in a rom-com hall of fame? No. But it was honestly better than I expected it to be. And leaving so high (relatively) off the the most recent entry, I could see myself being genuinely interested in the next step. If they can replicate the success of Bridget Jones’s Baby by moving Bridget forward while giving us a few jokes, I think we’re in for a good time watching Peacock this weekend.
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