Bridget Jones: The Ultimate Romantic Comedy Breaks UK Box Office Record

According to Universal Pictures, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Rene Zellwegers fourth installment as the beloved yet chaotic diarist, achieved a record-breaking box office performance in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The film grossed 11.8 million during its first four days in theaters, surpassing Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason, which earned 10 million back in 2004though that sum would likely be higher today due to inflation.

In the UK and Ireland this weekend, Bridget Jones outperformed Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World at cinemas. However, its worth noting that Bridget Jones didnt receive a cinema release in North America; instead, it was made available for streaming on the Peacock platform. This decision has sparked some speculation about American audiences’ disinterest in the charactercreated by British writer Helen Fieldingwho remains a localized phenomenon.

Despite its limited theatrical run outside of the UK and Ireland, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason still managed to top box office charts in countries such as Poland, the Netherlands, and Norway. In terms of its domestic performance, Mad About the Boy’s first weekend was significant but fell short compared to other blockbusters released that year like Deadpool & Wolverine.

In the new film, Zellweger plays a widowed single mother navigating modern dating, parenthood, and career challenges. Her character must choose between rekindling her relationship with Leo Woodalls younger love interest Roxster and pursuing an affair with her son’s science teacher, Chiwetel Ejiofor.

However, the film received mixed reviews from critics. While Pete Bradshaw of The Guardian gave it only two stars, describing it as a “weepie sequel” that was oddly detached despite Hugh Grants and Emma Thompsons strong performances, Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent awarded four stars for its vulnerability and humor.

Loughrey commended director Michael Morris for handling Bridget’s complex love life more delicately than in the first sequel. She observed that while it wasnt so much about Bridget finally growing up as revealing how human she truly is.