Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

This topic contains:

• overall comments and recommendations
• details about Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason 's classification and consumer advice lines
• a review of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason completed by Young Media Australia (YMA) on 10 November 2004.

Overall comments and recommendations

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason describes another year in the life of single ‘30 something' Bridget. While not having the same impact as the initial Bridget Jones's Diary this sequel contains some funny, if somewhat predictable moments. Renee Zellweger once again plays the part of British Bridget very well and is well supported by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant.

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) and the associated consumer advice lines.

YMA review

This review of the movie Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason contains the following information:

• a synopsis of the story
• use of violence
• material that may scare children
• product placement
• sexual references
• nudity and sexual activity
• use of substances
• coarse language
• the movie's message

A synopsis of the story

Bridget Jones is beginning a new year in her diary and it's starting out very well with her seemingly perfect relationship with Mark Darcy. However Bridget finds it difficult fitting in with Mark's very conservative lawyer associates and is forever embarrassing herself by saying the wrong things. She's also quite insecure about her body image and is afraid that Mark's beautiful, long legged secretary, Rebecca Gillies might be trying to win him away. Her fears eventually cause the relationship to break up but not before they'd spent an hilarious weekend away on a skiing trip after Bridget had exaggerated her skiing ability.

Single again, Bridget is assigned a reporting trip to Thailand where she has the misfortune to once again fall into the clutches of Daniel Cleaver. However she realises just in time what a mistake it would be to start another affair with him. Meanwhile, Bridget's friend who has accompanied her on the trip to Thailand meets a young man Jed, who gives her a snake bowl which she can't fit into her luggage. Bridget takes it for her and discovers at the airport that the bowl is of course filled with cocaine. Bridget is arrested and thrown into a Thai prison where she entertains the other women and realises that her plight is indeed nothing compared to theirs. Mark comes to Bridget's aid and manages to obtain her release but the future of their relationship must still be decided.

Use of violence

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

There is only one violent scene in this movie when Mark Darcy attacks Daniel Cleaver for leaving Bridget stranded at the Thai airport. This develops into a full fight, mainly done for laughs—nothing particularly graphic is shown.

Material that may scare children

Under eight

Children under eight are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations, the death of a parent or child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

There is nothing particularly scary in this movie. Children under eight could be disturbed by the scene where Bridget is arrested at the Thai airport, surrounded by security guards bearing rifles. Also, in a comic scene, Bridget skydives out of a plane and she takes a long time to open her parachute.

Aged eight to thirteen

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

Children in this age group could still be disturbed by Bridget's arrest.

Over the age of thirteen

Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.

There is nothing in this movie that would scare children over the age of thirteen.

Product placement

Research shows that children, particularly children under the age of eight, are vulnerable to product placement in movies. Even if the child doesn't recall seeing a particular brand in the movie, they will choose that brand in preference to another, if they have just seen it used or displayed in a movie. This effect may be exacerbated if the product is highlighted as part of the story or if an actor or character they admire is seen to endorse or enjoy the product.

The following products were displayed or used in this movie:

• Coca Cola
• Doritos
• Sony
• Samsung.

Sexual references

There are many explicit sexual references and innuendo, including a lot of talk about shagging and a mention of enjoying masturbation. Rebecca Gillies is a lesbian who is in love with Bridget.

Nudity and sexual activity

There are nude pictures in an art gallery, and some mild sexual activity:

• Bridget and Mark are often in bed together
• Bridget and Daniel Cleaver almost have sex
• Rebecca kisses Bridget on the mouth

Use of substances

There is some use of substances:

• a lot of drinking and smoking throughout the movie.
• Jed gives Bridget magic mushrooms to eat which makes her hallucinate; this is portrayed as good fun.
• The bowl Jed gives Bridget's friend contains cocaine, for which Bridget is arrested and thrown into jail.

Coarse language

There is a lot of coarse language throughout the movie:

• repeated use of fuck, arse, arsehole, shagging, oh my God
• occasional use of bloody, bastard, shit, Christ

The movie's message

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is made to entertain and has no particular in depth message. However, it does show the importance of believing in oneself and not being too concerned with body image.

The promiscuity and substance use could be used by parents to discuss with their children what their own family's values are, and what the real life consequences can be of some actions.