Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After breaking up, Bridget Jones' happily-ever-after hasn't quite gone according to plan. Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job and surround herself with old friends and new. For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. Then her love life takes a turn when she meets Jack. A week later, she runs into Mark before she finds herself pregnant, but with one hitch - she's not sure of the identity of her baby's father - Mark or Jack.
Bridget Jones's Baby is a watchable but formulaic third installment that leans heavily on the franchise's goodwill. The pregnancy-paternity premise is a well-worn rom-com device that feels recycled rather than inspired, and the plot largely retreads familiar ground between Bridget and Darcy. Renée Zellweger slides back into the role with charm and commitment, and Patrick Dempsey provides a likable foil, keeping the acting serviceable to above average. Cinematography is unremarkable, functional rom-com staging without much visual distinction. Novelty is low — as a sequel built on a derivative premise with few fresh ideas, it adds little to the franchise or the genre. The ending resolves predictably but delivers the emotional payoff fans expected, landing it just above average for its target audience.