The Bridget Jones films follow the chronicles of an unlucky and awkward singleton. It's full of British humor, embarrassing humor, charming humor, and altogether cringe-worthy comedy, so basically, humor for all.
Although many years ed between the first two movies and the final movie, many things remained the same. Bridget was still bumbling, fumbling, and mumbling in her beautifully unique and relatable ways and characters returned to bring everything full circle.
Christmas
Every Bridget Jones film is a Christmas movie, whether it starts during the holidays, ends during the holidays, or features the holidays at some point in the film. Bridget and Mark first meet at a Christmas party, with his iconic reindeer sweater and her flowered vest and red blouse.
It's where they wear ugly sweaters together at the next year's Christmas party. There are family Christmas celebrations and a pregnant Bridget lugs around a giant Christmas tree. Snow is always present at some time during the films.
Unlucky Situations
It wouldn't be a Bridget Jones film if didn't involve Bridget in some awkward and cringe-worthy situations, it's part of her charm, after all.
Whether it's the fire station pole broadcast, the costume garden party, the underwear run in the snow, or falling face-first into a mud pit, Bridget finds herself in a relationship with the unfortunate.
Mark Darcy
Mark Darcy. He is the haughty, awkward swoon-fuel of Bridget Jones fans everywhere. He and Bridget's first meeting didn't end on good , but the two eventually became acquainted outside the sphere of arranged Christmas party gatherings and without the lies of Daniel Cleaver influencing their judgment. Mark arranged an exclusive interview for Bridget and helped her with her birthday dinner: "I like you very much. Just as you are."
In the second film, their relationship was strained by insecurities and differences, and Mark did everything he could to acquit her of her drug charges. The third film saw the two embark on a journey that finally brought them together.
Shazzer, Tom & Jude
Shazzer, Tom, and Jude have been by Bridget's side from the very first film. They her during her successes and lowest points. They eat her blue soup and omelet and marmalade and provide comic relief during Mark and Daniel's brawl.
They book a holiday for her and end up going themselves, provide insightful advice, land Bridget in prison and help get her out, and make an appearance in the third and final film as her lifelong friends.
Her Apartment
Every film shows Bridget in the same apartment, and although it had some redecorating done by the final film, it was essentially the same cozy space viewers ed. It was the space Bridget sang her heart out, where she made blue soup and held dinner parties with her friends, and where she could feel safe and sad or motivated and inspired.
It was outside that apartment that Mark Darcy spoke "I love you," into the intercom, and where she sat when she was pregnant and locked out of her apartment.
Daniel Cleaver
Hugh Grant appeared as the charming playboy, Daniel Cleaver. For the first two films, Daniel and Mark were vying for Bridget's affection and in both films, Mark was the one who Bridget loved. Daniel didn't appear in the final film in person, he did however make an appearance as a plot point. Bridget attended Daniel's funeral, where she also ran into Mark, uniting the three once more.
In every film, Daniel is more or less a womanizer, his funeral in the final film showing just how many dalliances he had. In the end, it is revealed he survived the plane crash.
Goals
Bridget is a goal setter. She writes in her diary, or in the final movie, on an iPad. She is constantly wanting to improve herself, whether it's to stop drinking, stop smoking, stop making unhealthy romantic attachments, lose weight, or let loose.
When Mark Darcy tells her he likes her, she says, "Ah, apart from the smoking and the drinking, the vulgar mother and ... ah, the verbal diarrhea."
Bridget's Parents
Who can forget Bridget's parents? They were sweet and had their share of drama. There was Bridget's mother hosting a Christmas party and trying to set Bridget up with available men, Bridget and her father wallowing together as everything goes wrong in their lives and Bridget and her father dressed up at the Tarts and Vicars party.
Fans can't forget her father's of her pregnancy and her mother accepting her for who she is and changing her campaign values. And of course, there was her mother and father going through a rocky period during their marriage and then renewing their vows.
Music & Montage
The opening scenes of the first Bridget Jones movie will forever remain in viewers' memories. It's the moment Bridget sings "All By Myself," by Jamie O'Neal while drinking in her pajamas after the disastrous Christmas party.
There's also the "I'm Every Woman," Chaka Khan montage in the first film, and the outfit montage with the taxi driver before she declares her love to Mark Darcy in the second film. In the third film, she drinks wine to "Jump Around," by House Of Pain, and there are several montages of her getting ready for the baby.
Internal Monologues
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004), and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), are all from Bridget Jones's perspective, the flawed, clumsy, self-critiquing yet confident, and strong protagonist. She connected to audience through her film narration, spoken in the form of an internal monologue.
Every film gets in her head and allows viewers to her thought process, rather than be a bystander simply watching everything unfold.
