Bridget Jones’s Baby
Starring Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey
Directed by Sharon Maguire
Twelve years after the forgettable and critically skewered sequel, Oscar-winner Renée Zellweger is back as Bridget Jones and this time she’s got a bun in the oven. Whether or not another follow-up was necessary can be debated endlessly but one thing is clear – it may be silly but Bridget Jones’s Baby is undeniably funny.
Following an intimate encounter with Mark Darcy (Firth, also reprising his role) and an American relationship guru named Jack Qwant (Dempsey), Bridget finds herself pregnant and unsure of who the father is. The beginning features a truly cringe-worthy scene of Zellweger lip synching to House of Pain’s Jump Around in a rather dated and awkward opening credits montage. Thankfully, things go uphill from there.
The plot is admittedly derivative but the entire cast is on board and seems to be having a lot of fun. Zellweger returns effortlessly to the character, Firth remains steadfastly charming, even Dempsey finds plenty of room for well-timed comic relief. Other notables include Jones’ quirky news anchor pal Miranda (Sarah Solemani) and a brilliant Emma Thompson, playing a small but effective part as her doctor.
The movie certainly has its share of mechanical problems. Sloppy editing and several continuity errors sometimes stick out like a sore thumb. These issues aside, there are plenty of well-written gags and genuinely strong jokes that allow for a solid ensemble to shine.
For all its faults, Bridget Jones’s Baby is generally congenial and contains enough charm to melt even the iciest cynic’s heart.
