Following the underwhelming first sequel, Bridget Jones's Baby is a pleasant surprise. This is not a lightweight screwball comedy but a very adult rom-com that balances sincere emotional beats with a lot of very successful visual and verbal humour (the revolving door moment towards the end is probably the best visual gag of the year), making Bridget Jones's Baby a hugely entertaining and enjoyable film. Returning director Maguire invests the whole film with energy and precision, Zellweger gives a truly nuanced and mature performance that is leagues ahead of the broad comedic style seen in the previous films and is a delight to watch, and the two contrasting male leads deliver dependably (Firth's ability to throw away a line to humorous effect is so good here). Whilst the film does not stray from middle-class female fantasy, issues such as Bridget's unplanned 'geriatric' pregnancy and the question of paternity, and even the evolving style of media via Bridget's TV-producing job, give the film a greater depth and scope from which the humour and storylining benefit greatly. A fourth outing would be welcome if it were as strong as this - and the ending does leave one possible way forward - but Bridget Jones's Baby would serve as an excellent and fitting trilogy-closer that is consistently funny and engaging.
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