Time: 108 Minutes
Age Rating: M – Offensive language and sexual references
Cast:
Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones
Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver
Colin Firth as Mark Darcy
Jim Broadbent as Mr. Colin Jones
Gemma Jones as Mrs. Pamela Jones
Director: Beeban Kidron

I liked Bridget Jones’s Diary, but I was unsure about how the next movies would fare, especially the direct sequel, The Edge of Reason. Beforehand, I heard that it didn’t exactly have the best reception and the movie certainly lived up to that. It isn’t too surprising that it would take over 10 years for the next movie to be released.

I really don’t care for the story. While there was some degree of absurdity, cringiness and secondhand embarrassment in the first movie, the sequel doubles down on all of those and doesn’t work nearly as well, resulting in a less charming and less funny film. There are plenty of dumb decisions made, mainly from Bridget Jones, and in The Edge of Reason it stretched credibility even for her. By the end, it felt like this sequel was largely dull and unnecessary. Not much really happens, it almost felt like it was padding itself out, creating conflict and nothing was achieved. There’s a storyline in Thailand which was particularly unnecessary and grating. Also, the attempts at actual emotional beats really fall flat. At the same time, there were some occasionally funny moments which helped keep me on board with the movie through to the end.

Renee Zellweger is still charming as Bridget Jones, however, the writing for her is significantly worse and she feels more like a caricature than a character. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant again deliver on their parts fine. Firth’s energy and charm as Mark Darcy is felt a lot less in this movie. Grant is a scenestealer as usual, but his character of Daniel Cleaver felt unnecessary and forced into this plot.

Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason isn’t nearly as good as the first movie, and is largely dull despite a few amusing moments.