*

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Schmaltzy, sentimental lightweight reheating of the original  idea , fourth instalment in the series totalling over eight hours, including the 125 minute running time for this. They have run out of things to say about her.

This time, we meet Bridget as a widow and single mother, trying to navigate a new chapter of her life while raising her children. We  explores grief, resilience, and on line dating.

Renée Zellweger shines once again,  as Renee Zellweger . It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been a fan since the beginning or are just meeting her now, “Mad About the Boy”  is stretched to breaking point to fill two hours.

There are three laugh out loud set pieces, one when she is  stuck tree climbing up a tree with  her children, second when sexual health leaflets, innocently collected  cascade out of her tote bag in front of her children’s school teacher, and thirdly when her toy boy love interest dives into a swimming pool at a party to save    a party goers drowning pet dog.

The most amazing part of the film is love interest school teacher to her children who is seemingly the only member of staff at the school.. Mr Walliker is the science teacher, but he also does gate duty alone every morning, runs the Job Day, runs the Outward Bound trip with only the help of parents, and single-handedly runs the music concert while accompanying on piano.

Trite, formulaic and lazy, I was checking  my watch for much of the time mischievously wishing that the dog had drowned

Avoid