The world of Bridget Jones is nothing if not complicated. That certainly comes to the fore in 2016’s romantic comedy Bridget Jones’s Baby.
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The Movie Review
A saga that began with 2001’s smash hit Bridget Jones’s Diary (and was followed by Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason) is brought to a somewhat satisfying close in this film which means that a complete appreciation can only be had if you’ve watched the first two. Saying this doesn’t mean the movie doesn’t stand on its own in some respects, it clearly does, but it might help explain why some of the film’s central concerns seem sort of strange in 2016 compared to 2001.
Bridget Jones: A Social Commentary Evolution
Riding off of the 1990s, Bridget Jones’s Diary explored topics that weren’t readily discussed in the public forum to the extent they are now including single women, their place in society, and their ability to navigate a world where sexism still pervades in many places.
Now, Bridget Jones isn’t remotely controversial nor are her lifestyle choices something to scrutinize for “veering” from some kind of “way things are done.” With that out of the way, it’s easier to view it as a comedy and it is probably best taken in that light. The commentary that 2001’s movie offered on society is somewhat lessened only because society has advanced so much more by the time of 2016’s film.
Cinematography and Performances
The movie opens with Bridget mourning a former lover who supposedly died in a plane crash. And lo, at the same funeral, she runs into yet another ex, complete with a new wife, and wouldn’t you know they still share a bond.
Here, viewers of the first two films will be familiar with the rapport between the characters; for those of us just arriving, it only underlines that this must be a pretty tight-knit social circle indeed. Cinematography here is light and bright, to contrast with the later denouement and resolution, and, overall, the film has a strikingly modern aesthetic that contrasts with the late 90s approach of the first film.
The score is fitting and performances are, as expected, pretty top-notch across the board.
Plot Progression and Bridget’s Journey
Continuing with the plot, Bridget meets a man, Jack, and stumbles into his yurt while drunk where she then spends the night with him upon invitation. If that reads chaotically to you, well, that’s part of Bridget Jones’ schtick and the comedy aspect of the film.
Taken too seriously, it’s a little much, but taken in a slapstick fashion, it all fits. Upon waking, she mistakenly thinks it is her and her friend’s yurt and leaves, never seeing Jack who is off getting breakfast.
Bridget Jones’s Character Development
Upon returning home, Bridget reconnects with her ex from the funeral who now tells her he’s divorcing his wife. They get together and Bridget gets pregnant (hence the title) but doesn’t know who the father is. What ensues (again) is a slapstick version of reality where DNA collection is attempted and eventual admittance to the two men involved when it all crashes down. From here we continue with a series of movie antics that recall the films of the 1980s and 1990s.
Think unrealistic plotting, deus ex machina, quick resolutions, and shallow characterization, to name a few. All of this combines to make a film that is enjoyable, particularly as a conclusion to a trilogy, but less comprehensible to audiences that aren’t invested.
A more modern Bridget Jones would probably eschew the “lack of agency” implied by some of the plot twists and be a more embracing character, flaws and all. Indeed, a Bridget Jones that is more like Samantha Jones from Sex and the City would be an interesting metamorphosis of the character who is inherently likable and able to carry a comedy in either guise.
