Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason proves an awkwardly flat sequel
“I think you’re completely off your face”
After the success of the first Bridget Jones film, it was little surprise that a sequel would follow, not least because Helen Fielding had already written a follow-up novel. But even Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason boasts a screenplay by Fielding, Andrew Davies, Richard Curtis and Adam Brooks, it lacks much of the innate charm of its predecessor, mistaking big budget locations for genuinely interesting storytelling.
Having secured her Mr Right, Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy, Renée Zellweger’s Bridget still can’t quite believe it and a couple of months into their relationship, becomes convinced that he’s having it off with a younger, slimmer (natch) colleague. So there’s a whole load of her struggling to fit into his world of fancy legal dinners, high stakes meetings and skiing holidays to the Austrian Alps that leans heavily and awkwardly into slapstick.
Bridget’s own career as a TV presenter continues apace though and it is through this that Hugh Grant’s caddish Daniel Cleaver finagles his return into her life. They end up being paired as travel presenters and so off we pop to Thailand for an extended sequence which tests the patience somewhat as it takes a psuedo-serious turn with imprisonment for drug smuggling and ending up with a Madonna singalong.
Director Beeban Kidron follows the mantra of if it ain’t broke…and so there’s a lot of reprisals of stuff from the first film. Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent as Bridget’s parents albeit with much less to do here; James Callis, Shirley Henderson and Sally Phillips as the mouthy but unhelpful besties (the latter’s Shazza really fucking things up); Celia Imrie’s family friend just popping her head round for a line or two; Neil Pearson’s TV boss likewise.
The iconic fight between Mark and Daniel is even repeated, but to severely diminishing returns, and though it is not a film that takes itself at all seriously not is it meant to be, it just feels rather pointless, rather than telling a worthwhile story. Still, it didn’t many a fine actor popping in for glorified cameos – Jason Watkins, Alex Jennings, Neil Dudgeon and more all try their best in their single scenes.
