Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Beeban Kidron

Writers (WGA):

Helen Fielding (novel)
Andrew Davies (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 November 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Same Bridget. Brand new diary.

Plot:

The story picks up four weeks after the first film, and already Bridget Jones is becoming uncomfortable in her relationship with Mark Darcy...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Intern | Prison | Thailand | Parachute

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 nominations

Cast

Renée Zellweger	...	Bridget Jones
Gemma Jones	...	Mum
Jim Broadbent	...	Dad
James Faulkner	...	Uncle Geoffrey
Celia Imrie	...	Una Alconbury
Dominic McHale	...	Bernard
Colin Firth	...	Mark Darcy
Donald Douglas	...	Admiral Darcy
Shirley Dixon	...	Mrs. Darcy
Neil Pearson	...	Richard Finch
Rosalind Halstead	...	Receptionist
Luis Soto	...	Mexican Ambassador
Tom Brooke	...	Production Assistant
Hugh Grant	...	Daniel Cleaver
Alba Fleming Furlan	...	Girl in Rome

Also Known As:

Bridget Jones - Am Rande des Wahnsinns (Germany)
Bridget Jones - L'age 2 raison (France) (DVD box title)
Bridget Jones 2 (UK) (informal title)
Bridget Jones's Diary 2 (UK) (working title)
Bridget Jones: L'âge de raison (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

UK | France | Germany | Ireland | USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Ireland:15 | Italy:T | Netherlands:12 | Norway:A | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Indonesia:Dewasa

Filming Locations:

Aldbury, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Working Title Films

Trivia:

The poem Daniel quotes to Bridget on the boat while in Thailand is a translation of the famous "Phra Aphai Manee", a famous epic poem about a hero/ prince who, among other things, wooes and marries many princesses. The part he quotes is when Phra Aphai Manee wooes his head wife, Suwan Malee.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bridget runs through the rain to Mark Darcy's house, her hair and clothes are soaking as she stands in the porch. From the next shot, she appears dry. Then she is soaking again. Then dry.

Quotes:

Bridget Jones: Friends - they spend years trying to find you a boyfriend, but the moment you get one, they instantly tell you to dump him!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Soundtrack:

Let's Get It On

Disappointing

The problem with a sequel is that expectations are high - particularly after a film as successful and engaging as BJ1. I knew already that the new film did not adhere to the second book so I didn't expect to be making comparisons. However, this movie was frankly ridiculous.

My problem with the film in main was that the character of Bridget was over-parodied. She is not supposed to be so much fatter than everyone around her, or as scatty and ungainly as she is portrayed in the film, which makes it harder to believe that there are 2 men and a woman after her.

The first film's success was due to the protagonist being charming and endearing - she made "human" mistakes (for example, the "blue soup") and fell for an unsuitable man who cheated on her. We felt sorry for her but also felt that she was funny and kooky and wanted her to "get her man" in the end. In this new movie she is frankly annoying, and we are almost incredulous that Mark Darcy should want her at all. They have nothing in common, the reason they break up at the beginning is not believable in any way, and the reasons they reunite are just as difficult to comprehend.

I also felt that the characterisations were not as layered as in the first movie, and the stupid lesbian twist didn't seem to make any sense.

It is a shame that they were so close yet so far with this new film, because in a way it negates the success and hilarity of the first one, which was a classic, intelligent portrayal of a 30-something singleton looking for her man. BJ2 is just a badly-made slapstick about a fat, unattractive girl who looks a complete mess and doesn't seem to have any self-awareness whatsoever. Sorry to be so harsh, but with the weight of the various names attached to the film, expectations were high.......