Bridget Jones – Mad About the Boy, directed by Michael Morris

Poor old Bridget only got a few years of her happy ever after with Mark Darcy before he was killed in Sudan. Four years on, widowed in her 40s and bringing up two children, she is back almost where she started – drinking wine alone and avoiding the smug marrieds. Returning to work helps to spark her up again and then two men come into her life, son Billy’s uptight science teacher and (very) young gun Rockster. Chaos naturally ensues. Deeper and sadder than the first three Bridget adventures, there is still plenty of silliness and laughter as she navigates dating and sex in the digital age. All the old faces are back, to great comic and dramatic effect, and the new faces – Leo Woodall and Chiwetel Ejiofor as the love interests – fit in perfectly. Renee Zellweger, as ever, embodies everywoman Bridget. The film gets a little shmaltzy towards the end, but nevertheless provides an enjoyable final outing with the Jones girl.