Note: Falling face first into mud is the way into a manÔÇÖs heart.

Bridget is back. After 15 years, the third instalment┬áin the┬ábeloved┬áfranchise, Bridget Jones’s Baby, has crawled its way to the big┬áscreen. And who would have thought it would still be as funny?

Whilst having┬áa typically muddy music festival weekend with her friend, Jones┬á(Ren├®e Zellweger) finds herself having┬áa one night stand with a handsome man named Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Several days later, she has yet another dose of ‘rumpy pumpy’ with her ex-fianc├® Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) at the christening of her godchild.┬áShe soon however,┬ádiscovers she is pregnant. Embarrassingly uncertain of who the father is, Bridget┬ádecides to tell both of the men – which soon results in a little competition.

Zellweger is particularly comfortable on-screen, and proves she still has what it takes how many years on to play the classic but clumsy role.┬áIt was just a little distracting that her facial expressions remained the same, almost stuck throughout (perhaps the film should have been re-titled: Bridget Jones is Going┬áThrough a Face…sorry,┬áPhase). Nevertheless,┬áthe film does a great job in┬áestablishing her character┬ágrowing older and being alone, and also that of her professional success.┬áAs for secondary characters,┬áEmma Thompson and Colin Firth truly deliver their lines in the most deadpan style possible which works wonders, and Patrick Dempsey breathes new life into the love triangle. Newcomer Sarah Solemani acts as a worthy addition to the cast, providing the best comedic timing of all. However, a prolonged Ed Sheeran cameo throws the film into rocky waters, and felt┬áembarrassingly┬ádesperate to fit in with contemporary pop culture.

As predictable as romantic comedies can get,┬áBridget Jones’s Baby┬áoffers the right amount of sincerity, which coincides effectively with each and every┬ácomedic moment – making for a feel good film. Although it did seem that nostalgia carried the film to a certain extent and did feel a little lengthy despite a shorter┬árun-time than most, it was nonetheless far from a disaster. Considering the unfortunate┬ánumber┬áof┬álacklustre┬ásequels that have┬áscrambled┬áout┬áof┬áfilm studios recently, this one was born to stand out; easily serving┬áas┬áBridget’s┬ábest instalment yet.┬áIt’s absurd, but the target audience will relish every moment.

Georgina Aindow