Bridget Jones and the Edge of Reason Just Okay
It was a romantic comedy that was as enjoyable to guys as it was to the ladies. Because of this it was highly successful (especially overseas) so a sequel was sure to come.
Bridget Jones and the Edge of Reason starts out a few months after Diary ended. Bridget (Renee Zellweger) and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) are in a honeymoon phase in their relationship.
Because it’s a sequel however, this has to change and the first half of the movie deals with fractures occurring in their perfect relationship. Bridget is still as endearingly clueless as she was in the original and makes many scenes immensely watch able – even if they are riffs off of stuff from the original.
Our heroine makes an ass out of herself at upscale parties and a ski resort. But we expect this of Bridget, and there are easy laughs to be had.
Bridget and Mark split around the halfway point of the film and a heartbroken Bridget buries herself in work. Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) has gotten a job at the station and the management soon pairs them on a travelogue show.
Their first assignment is in Thailand where Bridget’s old boss once again tries to put the moves on her. He’s still charming so a brief period of flirtation begins, but Daniel once again reveals his true colors.
On her way back to London Bridget is mistakenly arrested for drug smuggling and is tossed in jail with female inmates. She bonds with the girls and soon has them singing Madonna songs.
Of course Mark gets her released from jail. And of course Daniel and Mark once again have a hysterically awkward fight over Bridget. Bridget realizes what a swell guy Mark is and goes running back to him – but not before making a fool of herself at least three more times along the way. T
he film ends with Bridget’s parents reaffirming their vows and Mark and Bridget happy again – which was of course inevitable.
Zellweger was made to play this character. Hugh Grant obviously has a blast playing the ultimate cad and Firth is solid as the boring, but great boyfriend. Not nearly as good as the original – but how can you go wrong with this trio? I’d hope this is the last one though; I don’t want to tire of Bridget’s quirkiness.
2.5 out of 4 stars
