Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) is now a widow facing the challenge of being a single mother of two, returning to work and heading back out into the world of dating. 

It may be twenty-four years since Bridget Jones first graced our screens but she is still facing the same challenges. The pressures on women to juggle so many aspects of life and still feel fulfilled. As a widow she has the support of her friends and family but that also means she has conflicting advice of what is the right thing for her, her children and her career.

With a push from friends she enters the world of dating apps and finds herself in a relationship with a much younger man named Roxster (Leo Woodall). Reinvigorated as a sexual being Bridget also finds herself striking up a friendship with her children’s science teacher Mr. Walliker (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Refreshingly for a Bridget Jones movie the two love interests are never vying with each other for her attentions allowing the relationships to play out organically. 

Dotted around these core relationships within the film are a slew of cameos from almost every major character from the previous films. And these generally fit into the category of hilariously funny or heartfelt and tear jerking. When Colin Firth or Jim Broadbent appear on screen as Bridget’s dead husband and father respectively you are almost guaranteed to get some dust in your eyes! Whereas when Emma Thompson or Hugh Grant pop up you are in for a giggle. 

The result is rather special and arguably makes this the best in the franchise. Of course most of its payoffs are built on the knowledge of what has gone before but this film manages to feel more authentic as a comedy (it only sparingly relies on the slapstick of previous iterations) and more touching as both a romance and a depiction of life. 

Finally I have to give a special mention to the stars of the film and franchise in Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant. Zellweger of course has made Bridget her own, despite not being British and it would be impossible to imagine anyone else portraying her. As the character has evolved from a chain smoker obsessed with her weight to a single mother trying to juggle getting her kids to school whilst holding a job she has managed to make her funny and relatable. And Hugh Grant shows here just how sorely missed he was from the third film that he opted out of. In only a handful of scenes he delivers the biggest laughs and manages to make us care about him and his relationship with Bridget. 

A thoroughly enjoyable return for Ms. Jones.