Bridget Jones's Baby

The long-awaited third installment in the series based on bestselling novels by Helen Fielding begins as charmingly awkward, accident-prone Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger)—now a successful TV news show producer—is celebrating her 43rd birthday with Celine Dion's “All By Myself.” A funeral flashback reveals that Bridget's caddish boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), has died, and her longtime lover, successful barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), is married. Bridget's best friend, anchorwoman Miranda (Sarah Solemani), has concocted a plan to launch her back into the dating world during a weekend at the Glastonbury Music Festival. Here, American billionaire Jack Quant (Patrick Dempsey) gallantly pulls Bridget out of a mud puddle. He is the CEO of an online dating website, and later that night the pair hook up in his ornate yurt. A week later Bridget discovers that Darcy is getting a divorce, and their nostalgic chemistry re-ignites. As a result of these two romantic encounters, Bridget is pregnant, but doesn't know which man is the father. Nor does her obstetrician (Emma Thompson), since Bridget is terrified of amniocentesis. Both suitors are not only surprisingly willing to claim paternity, but soon become competitive. Directed by Sharon Maguire, this spark-filled screwball comedy nicely reflects a changing cultural climate, particularly in the area of gender equality. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Full Circle” making-of featurette (19 min.), deleted/alternate scenes (18 min.), an alternate ending (4 min.), a gag reel (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an engaging rom-com.] (S. Granger)