Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) are only weeks into their relationship when Jones’ neuroses and insecurity, along with a nudge from her friends results in her becoming single again. Cue a job opportunity in Thailand where she crosses paths with Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) again. But what does Bridget really want from her love life?

Whilst author Helen Fielding describes the original book as being based loosely on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the sequel is inspired by Austen’s Persuasion. Where, thanks to the incredibly poor advice from Bridget’s best friends Jude, Shazza and Tom (Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips and James Callis) Bridget finds herself breaking up with Mark. The fact that class divides are the main reason a wedge is driven between Mark and Bridget just goes to show how snooty the Conservative private school crowd can be. 

The resulting film is ultimately a bit of a “nothing” story. The breakup feels undeserved, it’s followed by a comic farce of a trip to Thailand for work. Bridget brings along Shazza as she is wooed again by Daniel and just finds herself getting into more and more trouble. Cue some girl power scenes involving Madonna songs and a repeat of the ending of the first film where snow is replaced by rain. Weather being an integral part of British set romantic comedies! 

It seems understandable that both Fielding and the film studios would follow up their hit book (the first published in 1996, the second in 1999) and film (2001 and 2004) as quickly as possible to capitalise on their success. But nothing of interest actually happens here to warrant a sequel. 

Definitely for die hard Bridget Jones fans rather than general audiences.