Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Year: 2004
Director: Beeban Kidron
Starring: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth & Renee Zellweger
Runtime: 108 mins
BBFC: 15
Published: 23/06/21
Director: Beeban Kidron
Starring: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth & Renee Zellweger
Runtime: 108 mins
BBFC: 15
Published: 23/06/21
Bridget Jones’s Diary is undoubtedly one of the greatest British rom-com’s of all time. In my review for it I said that Renee Zellweger’s performance as Bridget was a career best, and that combined with the incredible dialogue and impeccable comedic timing of all of the gags that the film is simply one of the best you can possibly find for some feel good fun.
So the fact that the film was both critically and commercially successful meant that of course a sequel was going to be on the cards, and with a second Bridget Jones book to adapt then surely it would follow the same massive success as the first film…right? Maybe some things just aren’t quite the same the second time round?
Shortly after the events of the first film, Edge of Reason sees Bridget (Zellweger) and new boyfriend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) enjoying being completely smitten with each other. It seems that things are finally on the up for Bridget, that is until she meets Rebecca (Jacinda Barrett), Mark’s assistant, and begins to suspect that Mark may be cheating on her. As well as this Bridget is offered a huge progression in her career as a TV journalist, the only catch is that she’ll be working alongside her ex, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). Can Bridget navigate the trials of dating in the upper-class elite of Britain’s best lawyers, get to the bottom of why Rebecca and Mark are so close, and not sleep with Daniel?
So the fact that the film was both critically and commercially successful meant that of course a sequel was going to be on the cards, and with a second Bridget Jones book to adapt then surely it would follow the same massive success as the first film…right? Maybe some things just aren’t quite the same the second time round?
Shortly after the events of the first film, Edge of Reason sees Bridget (Zellweger) and new boyfriend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) enjoying being completely smitten with each other. It seems that things are finally on the up for Bridget, that is until she meets Rebecca (Jacinda Barrett), Mark’s assistant, and begins to suspect that Mark may be cheating on her. As well as this Bridget is offered a huge progression in her career as a TV journalist, the only catch is that she’ll be working alongside her ex, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). Can Bridget navigate the trials of dating in the upper-class elite of Britain’s best lawyers, get to the bottom of why Rebecca and Mark are so close, and not sleep with Daniel?
I made my opening sound like Edge of Reason is a bad film, and it’s not, but it doesn’t do anything new with the characters or situations. In fact, it mostly feels like a repeat of the first film a lot of the time with the same jokes and scenarios being present, but usually not as original and funny. It feels so similar at times that I often forget whether some of the events from this film are actually from the first and vice-versa. The only sequences that truly stand out are the ones where Bridget goes abroad to Austria and then Thailand, because it puts Bridget in a scenario where her often baffling use of the English language only gets her into more trouble due to cultural misunderstandings.
Even the performances feel somewhat muted from last time around, and slightly different from how they were in the first film. Bridget’s just straight up ditsy and embarrassing most of the time; Mark completely lacks a personality (and it’s probably my least favourite performance from Colin Firth in anything he’s done), and Daniel is a complete tosser with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Rebecca is a fun addition but her character’s ‘twist’ is left a little late and as a result the joke doesn’t really get to land quite the way I think the filmmakers had hoped it would.
Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, but it’s a considerable step down from the original film in almost every way to the point where I would only ever watch it if I fancy watching all three Bridget Jones films. If I’m in a Bridget mood I’ll almost always just watch the first film and not bother with the second because it just feels disappointing in comparison. Whilst there is definitely enjoyment to be had from it, I find it hard to recommend, just re-watch the original.
Even the performances feel somewhat muted from last time around, and slightly different from how they were in the first film. Bridget’s just straight up ditsy and embarrassing most of the time; Mark completely lacks a personality (and it’s probably my least favourite performance from Colin Firth in anything he’s done), and Daniel is a complete tosser with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Rebecca is a fun addition but her character’s ‘twist’ is left a little late and as a result the joke doesn’t really get to land quite the way I think the filmmakers had hoped it would.
Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, but it’s a considerable step down from the original film in almost every way to the point where I would only ever watch it if I fancy watching all three Bridget Jones films. If I’m in a Bridget mood I’ll almost always just watch the first film and not bother with the second because it just feels disappointing in comparison. Whilst there is definitely enjoyment to be had from it, I find it hard to recommend, just re-watch the original.