SYNOPSIS

Working Title Films' Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason stars Oscar® winner Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth all reprising the roles they originated in Bridget Jones's Diary. In this follow-up to the worldwide hit, we find Bridget where we left her--blissful and besotted in the arms of gorgeous lawyer Mark Darcy (Firth). Mark is accomplished, supportive and tolerant of (nearly) all of Bridget's tiny jealousies--why wouldn't every woman in London, including Mark's new long-legged, drop-dead, "I-always-say-the-right-thing-at-all-times" intern, want to lure him away from the plumpish, opinionated, sometimes inappropriate Bridget?
With the entry of the leggy threat, Bridget's pink clouds begin to turn gray as her attacks of self-doubt sorely test her relationship with Darcy. And just when it seems that the waters couldn't get any more choppy, Bridget's former boss, womanizing heartthrob Daniel Cleaver (Grant), sails into view. Ms. Jones careens from embarrassing situation to romantic misunderstanding, still managing to muddle through in this continuation of the trials and tribulations of the working woman who has become the symbolic heroine of 'singletons' everywhere.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason provides a hilarious and touching look at the answer to the question, "What happens after the happy ending?"

Based on author Helen Fielding's best-selling novel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, the film stars Renée Zellweger (returning to the role that earned her first Oscar® nomination), Hugh Grant and Colin Firth all under the direction of Beeban Kidron from a screenplay written by Andrew Davies, Helen Fielding, Richard Curtis and Adam Brooks. It is produced by Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, and Jonathan Cavendish; it also stars Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Jacinda Barrett, Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, James Callis, Jessica Stephenson, Celia Imrie and Neil Pearson. Debra Hayward and Liza Chasin serve as executive producers. The film was shot on location in London, Thailand and Austria.

Review by ANNETTE WIERSTRA

My friend and I sat in the theater waiting for the lights to dim and the movie to start, chatting about friends, husbands, kids and life in general. All around us women were having similar conversations and the theater was humming. This is a chick flick. There were some men in the theater, but not many, and the young man sitting behind us didn’t sound as if he came because it was his movie choice.

I think Bridget is such a popular character with women because we relate to her more than we relate to most Hollywood heroines. She worries about her weight, she worries that she is not good enough, she is awkward, and she never says the right thing. Who hasn’t been there?

In Edge of Reason we pick up where we left off in Bridget Jones’ Diary. Bridget and Mark Darcy are in love and everything is perfect. Until the cracks start to show. Bridget creates problems in the relationship because it is just too good to be true. She cannot accept the unconditional “I love you just as you are” love from Mark. And she listens to her friends far too much instead of just trusting her heart.

It’s a theme we see again and again in film and television. Characters break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend for the weakest of reasons: her nose is too big, he talks too much, I can’t stand the way she laughs. Just watch Seinfeld or Sex in the City to see characters break up for silly reasons, and you’ll see characters who are afraid of love. I admit it: I’ve sat around with my girlfriends and analyzed every word that came out of some guy’s mouth to find all the hidden meanings, just as Bridget does with her friends.

This hyper-analysis leads Bridget nowhere. She breaks up with Mark and ends up miserable and alone?again. Then, under the most unlikely circumstances, Bridget meets a group of women who have real man problems. These new friends tell stories of beatings, pimping and drugs. It puts Bridget’s relationship problems into perspective.

We can live with the little things. Love is all about accepting each other “just as we are.” Just remember that the next time he leaves the toilet seat up, or she takes too long getting ready. Our relationships here on earth are a reflection of heavenly love. Thankfully God is bigger than we are, or we would all be miserable and alone. He always loves us just as we are. Edge of Reason helps up put everything petty and trivial in perspective?love is bigger than that.

As for the big question: is the second movie as good as the first one? No. The first movie distilled the book Bridget Jones’ Diary really well. It made cuts and changes to the plot line that made sense, streamlined the story and made the book into a really great movie that let us fall in love with Colin Firth (Mark Darcy) all over again.

Helen Fielding second novel about Bridget is actually funnier than Bridget Jones’ Diary. Instead of building on that new humor, the film version of Edge of Reason uses a lot of the same jokes and comic moments as the original movie. For example, another big fight scene, while funny, is something we’ve already seen. I felt that the filmmaker was trying to capture the same success in Edge of Reason by picking up some of the things that worked in Bridget Jones’ Diary. This choice weakens the movie overall and ultimately makes it a lesser follow up.

At the same time, I was laughing out loud in the theater and I was surrounded by other women who were laughing. Bridget is still Bridget and I still connected to her character. So while I was disappointed that the Edge of Reason did not measure up to Bridget Jones’ Diary, I still enjoyed watching Bridget stumble through a relationship and try to figure out what love really is.through a relationship and try to figure out what love really is.