Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

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This article is about the film. For the 1999 novel, see Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (novel). For the soundtrack of the film, see Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (soundtrack).

Bridget Jones:
The Edge of Reason
Bridget jones edge of reason poster.jpg
British theatrical release poster
Directed byBeeban Kidron
Screenplay by
Based onThe Edge of Reason
by Helen Fielding
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAdrian Biddle
Edited byGreg Hayden
Music byHarry Gregson-Williams
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • 28 October 2004 (2004-10-28) (Sydney)
  • 12 November 2004 (2004-11-12) (United Kingdom)
Running time
108 minutes[2]
Countries
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40-50 million[4][5]
Box office$265.1 million[4]

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is a 2004 romantic comedy film directed by Beeban Kidron and written by Adam Brooks, Richard Curtis, Andrew Davies, and Helen Fielding, based on Fielding's 1999 novel of the same name. It stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver. It is the sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary (2001). The film was released in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2004 and a week later in the United States, to mixed reviews from film critics. Despite this, the film was a box office success, grossing over $260 million worldwide. Zellweger received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her performance. A third film, Bridget Jones's Baby, was released in 2016.

Plot[]

Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is ecstatic about her new relationship with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). However, Bridget's confidence is shattered when she meets Mark's assistant, the beautiful, slim, quick-witted Rebecca Gillies (Jacinda Barrett). At her job on TV morning show Sit-Up Britain, Bridget crosses paths with her ex, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and is offered a position alongside Cleaver in a new travel series. Bridget initially refuses, declaring Daniel a "deceitful, sexist, disgusting specimen of humanity," but eventually signs on, despite her friends' misgivings.

Bridget is delighted when Mark invites her to his "Law Council Dinner," believing he will propose afterward. However, a series of fashion/cosmetic mishaps make the evening a debacle, culminating in the team trivia quiz: Bridget makes a critical error on a question about Madonna, which Rebecca Gillies wins, leaving Bridget thoroughly deflated.

After the dinner, Mark and Bridget argue and she leaves in a huff. Mark goes to Bridget's apartment, apologizes, and tells her he loves her for the first time. Later that night, Mark invites Bridget on a ski holiday to Lech, Austria. On the slopes, she learns Rebecca recommended the vacation spot and that she is there as well with a few other colleagues. Bridget has a pregnancy scare since her period is late, but after an argument over the upbringing and education of their future children, the pregnancy test proves negative. Returning home, Bridget and Mark attend a lunch with their parents, where Bridget is hurt by Mark's dismissal of their prospective marriage.

Bridget overhears a suspicious message from Rebecca on Mark's answering machine and dissects it with her friends, who advise her to confront him; Bridget does, Mark refuses "to dignify the question with an answer," and Bridget breaks up with him. She travels to Thailand with her friend, Shazza (Sally Phillips) and Daniel Cleaver to film "The Smooth Guide." Bridget and Daniel visit several exotic locations and flirtily reconnect, but Bridget's trust in Daniel is again demolished by the arrival of a prostitute he ordered, and she realizes he has not changed his boorish ways.

Shazza has a fling with the much younger Jed (Paul Nicholls), who gives her an ivory tusk as a gift to take back to Britain, which winds up in Bridget's bag. When security dogs at the airport detect a large stash of cocaine inside the tusk, Bridget is arrested and sent to a Thai prison and locked in a cell with almost 50 other Thai female inmates. Feeling low and scared but glad at the friendliness of the inmates, Bridget shares relationship advice with the other inmates and teaches them to sing and dance to Madonna's "Like a Virgin."

Mark arrives to tell Bridget that her release has been put in motion. After confirming Jed as the true perpetrator and that Bridget "spent the night" with Daniel Cleaver, he declares that her sex life does not interest him; Bridget does not correct his presumption, and he departs, leaving Bridget certain he no longer loves her. Back in Britain, Mark confronts Daniel for abandoning Bridget in Thailand, and they fight outside an art gallery in Kensington Gardens. Daniel swears off Bridget for good and sarcastically suggests to Mark, "Why don't you just marry her?"

Bridget arrives at Heathrow Airport as an international human rights celebrity. She is greeted by her parents, who have been busy planning their vow renewal ceremony. At home, Bridget is surprised by her friends, who reveal that Mark personally tracked down the drug trafficker Jed, secured his custody and extradition, and forced him to admit Bridget's innocence. Hopeful that Mark still loves her, Bridget immediately runs to his house. She finds Rebecca there and assumes she is romantically involved with Mark, but Rebecca reveals that she is actually infatuated with Bridget and kisses her; though flattered, Bridget politely turns her down.

Bridget confronts Mark at his legal chambers and asks him to give her another chance. Mark proposes to Bridget and she accepts. The film ends with Bridget's parents renewing their vows and Bridget catching the bouquet.

Cast[]

Production[]

The skiing scenes took place in Lech (Vorarlberg), western Austria

Principal photography began on 6 October 2003 and concluded on 15 February 2004.[citation needed]

Filming took place in Southwark and Primrose Hill.[6] The skiing scenes took place in Lech (Vorarlberg), western Austria.[6][7]

During the fight scene between Daniel and Mark at the "Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens" (actually filmed in the Italian Gardens near Lancaster Gate), it was for the most part not choreographed, instead, the actors were simply asked to fight each other any way they could. At one point in the film (where Bridget and Shazzer are at the Thai airport), Bridget indulges in a fantasy of Mark coming out of water in a wet white shirt, just like Colin Firth did in the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. The poem that Daniel quotes from while passing Ko Panyi is the story of "Phra Aphai Mani" by Sunthorn Phu.[citation needed]

One of the more significant differences between the novel and the film is that the film makes no mention of Bridget's fascination with the BBC television version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth starred in that production.)[citation needed]

Sandra Gregory stated that the scenes involving the Thai prison probably received inspiration from her incident since Helen Fielding knew the next door neighbors of her parents and presumably would have talked to them.[8]

Release[]

Box office[]

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason opened in the United States on a limited release on 12 November 2004 and grossed $8.7 million, at #5 at the box office;[9] a week later, the film was given a wide release, again finishing fifth at the box office, this time with $10 million.[10] By the end of its theatrical run, it had grossed $40.2 million domestically and $224.9 million internationally, totaling $265.1 million worldwide.[4]

Critical response[]

The film was voted Evening Standard Readers' Film of 2004, was in the shortlist for the Orange Film of the Year award at 2005 BAFTAs and the second interpretation of Bridget gained Zellweger another Golden Globe nomination and the People's Choice Award as Favorite Leading Lady of 2005.[citation needed]

On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 27% based on 157 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10. The website's critics consensus stating: "Edge of Reason is a predictable continuation to the Bridget Jones story, with too much slapstick and silliness."[11] Metacritic, assigned the film a weighted average score of 44 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[12] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[13]

Sequel[]

Main article: Bridget Jones's Baby

In July 2009, the BBC reported that a third film was in the early stages of production. On 1 March 2011 it was reported that both Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth had shown interest in reprising their roles.[14] An announcement was made on 11 August 2011 that a third film was greenlit by Universal Pictures, Miramax and Working Title.[15]

Colin Firth told The Chicago Sun Times in April 2013:

Unfortunately, it might be a bit of a long wait. I wouldn't say that it's completely dead in the water, but the way it's going, you might be seeing Bridget Jones's granddaughter's story being told by the time we get there.[16]

In an interview in October 2014, Hugh Grant mentioned an existing script for a sequel, however also expressed his dislike for it and that he would not star in a third film.[17] Filming officially began on 2 October 2015. The movie opened on 16 September 2016.

Home media[]

The film was released on DVD and VHS on the 22nd of March 2005 with a variety of bonus features.

Soundtrack[]

Main article: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (soundtrack)

English singer Jamelia covered "Stop" after the makers of the 2004 film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason approached her to record it to illustrate an integral part of the film. Jamelia instantly accepted the offer and explained how much she was a fan of the character and of the first film.[18] The exclamation mark at the end of the title was dropped for the Jamelia release.

"Stop" was released as a double A-side with the song "DJ" on 1 November 2004. The single peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart and became Jamelia's fourth consecutive top-10 entry, spending 12 weeks on the chart. It also became her fourth consecutive top-40 single in Australia, peaking at number 37.

The formats of "DJ" and "Stop" received a staggered release. On 1 November 2004, the two-track CD one was released along with the "DJ" CD release. Due to time constraints, the "Stop" music video (directed by Alex Hemming) could not be added in time to make the 1 November release date and so the CD two was released a week later on 8 November 2004. This was also the first DVD single release from Jamelia. The single release also contained a cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas".

References[]

  1. ^ "Bridget Jones:The Edge of Reason". Variety Insight. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 22 October 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)". BFI.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason at Box Office Mojo
  5. ^ "Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004) - Financial Information". The Numbers (website).
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.moviehiker.com/filmlocations/film/Bridget+Jones+The+Edge+of+Reason[bare URL]
  7. ^ https://vbgv1.orf.at/magazin/klickpunkt/stories/4773/index.html[bare URL]
  8. ^ Sandra Gregory (1 November 2004). "Bridget Jones stole my story". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for November 12–14, 2004". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  10. ^ Weekend Box Office Results for 19–21 November 2004 Box Office Mojo Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
  12. ^ "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  13. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (18 September 2016). "'Blair Witch', 'Bridget Jones' & 'Snowden': How Did 2016's Lowest Grossing Weekend Happen? – Sunday Postmortem". Deadline. B+ CinemaScore and good reviews
  14. ^ Uddin, Zakia (1 March 2011). "Zellweger 'agrees to Bridget Jones 3'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  15. ^ Lesnick, Silas (12 August 2011). "Bridget Jones 3 Officially Planned". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  16. ^ Harp, Justin (26 April 2013). "Collin Firth on Bridget Jones 3". Digital Spy. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Hugh Grant interview: on Bridget Jones 3 and The Rewrite". YouTube. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  18. ^ :: Jameila :: Stop Archived 6 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine

External links[]

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