Displaying items by tag: Gemma Jones

BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY

UK, 2025, 124 minutes, Colour.

Renée Zellweger, Chiwital Ejiofer, Leo Woodall, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Mila Jankowicz, Casper Knopf, Sally Phillips, Nico Parker, Sarah Solemani, Shirley Henderson, James Callis, Claire Skinner, Isla Fisher, Gemma Jones, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Neil Pearson, Celia Imre.

Directed by Michael Morris.

Bridget Jones came on the cinema scene almost a quarter of a century ago two very successful films. She was immediately popular, embodied in a British style by American actress Renée Zellweger. In 2016, she had a baby and another film. In 2024-2025, she is a widow, with two children at school, trying to manage, sad memories of her husband, played by Colin Firth and reappearing here in some pleasing ghostly presences. (Not too happy memories of previous films with real appearances of her parents, Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones, and a number of old friends turning up, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson…).

Bridget Jones has been welcomed back by audiences – though, for many of us, her distinctive mannerisms, quirks of accent, tics of behaviour, can be often offputting or, at least, disconcerting.

So, what is the widow to do? Get some advice from her old friend-nemesis, Daniel, a welcome return by Hugh Grant, still the playboy attitude but soon to be threatened by age, illness, more than a touch of conscience, and a reconciliation with his absent Italian son.

She goes to Memorial dinners for her husband, gets loads of advice from her contemporaries, to be out and around, date, be on the market. She also gets her advice from her gynaecologist, Emma Thompson again, which is more grounded but not heeded until later.

What happens is that on Hampstead Heath, her children climb a tree, she tries to rescue them, and a handsome worker (Foxster, Leo Woodall) intervenes, she more than a touch smitten, he getting in contact, a whirlwind affair. Is this the answer to her longings? But is going back to work as a television producer, on a show for women and women’s issues, another answer?

By this stage, her fans will be hoping that she resolves life’s issues. But, in those who find her a bit offputting, not eliciting audience sympathy, would be tempted to give up on her.

But,   lifechanges, her toyboy puts his foot in it about age; she is still thinking of her husband; her children react, especially her son who misses his father. And she listens more attentively to her doctor’s advice.

And, there in the background is the teacher at the children’s school, Mr Willaker (a charming Chiwitel Ejiofor, despite his propensity for discipline and continually blowing his whistle, loudly).

So, gradually, some sensible moralising, some more considered choices, some sensible interactions, and Bridget Jones will have a future.

1. Popularity Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger’s presence and performance? Mannered style? Over almost 25 years and four films?
2. The London settings, home, school, television studios? House parties, large parties, the range of songs?
3. Bridget’s situation, widow, the death of her husband, charity work and his death, Colin Firth, his presence in memories throughout the film? The two children, their ages, her bond with the children, at school? Her going out to the Memorial dinner for her husband, her awkwardness? With the of the mothers, the Society mother, getting her to join in the activities and her later doing this?
4. Memories of her dying father, his urging her to go out? Memories of her mother? The visit to the doctor, practical, urging her out?
5. At school, encountering Mr Waliker, his whistle, his manner, with the children, stern? Later talks with him, his teaching science, rational, his criticisms of Billy’s work?
6. The outings, with the children, climbing the tree, Roxster and his presence, climbing and rescuing them, Mr Waliker observing?
7. The relationship with Roxster, his age, his work, his manner, the effect on Bridget? Tentative, going out, her infatuation, the beginning of the relationship, a fling? The effect on her? On the children? Especially Billy? Memories of his father? The party, the dog, in the water, Roxster diving in, the wet shirt, the reaction of Bridget’s friends?
8. The range of friends, from the past, new friends, meetings, chatting, urging her to enjoy herself and break out?
9. Daniel, from the previous films, the Hugh Grant’s style, his babysitting and bond with the children, his own life, his illness, in the hospital, the talk with Bridget, the talk about his son? And the son arriving at the party, charming, Daniel more at peace?
10. Roxster, time of the relationship, his backing out, not communicating, later return, his mention of time travel, indicating she be younger, her retort that he should come into the future with her? The break?
11. The work of the television station, the program, the focus on women, the guests, the personalities, the producer, Bridget enjoying her work, talking about her relationship and finding herself on stage with the applause?
12. Chloe as the nanny, her being recommended by friends, her role in the house, her ideas, efficient in every way, bonding with the children, the perfect nanny? Bridget finally accepting her?
13. Bridget and her memories of her husband, going through the documents, the diary, writing the message to him, and with children and setting the balloons?
14. Mr Waliker and his class with parents, her setting up a television program, the girl with the chart, Billy and his apprehension, the discussion about fruit fly, turning the discussion to the presence of the soul, and another life after death?
15. The shift in emphasis from the atmosphere of the fling to more serious? With the children? The discussions with Mr Waliker, going on the walk with him, the rain, the discussions, issues of reason, imagination, magic? The effect on him, the change, still blowing the whistle, but in class? The importance of his talk with Billy? The cut, the return to the concert, Billy singing, I’ll do Anything, in memory of his father, to have a memory of his father, the enthusiastic response?
16. The visit to the doctor, her practical advice, common sensed, Bridget listening to it, memories of her father, discussions with her mother?
17. The change of atmosphere, the light and more permissive episodes with her friends and with Roxster? The change, the serious interactions with Mr Waliker?
18. A year later, happiness, a new beginning, Mr Waliker the piano, the friends, her mother, her future in her 50s and beyond?

THE RECKONING

UK, 2023, 4 X 60 minutes, Colour.

Steve Coogan, Mark Stanley, Robert Emms, Gemma Jones, Neal Pearson, Siobhan Finneran, Mark Lewis Jones, Fenella Woolgar.

Directed by David Blair, Sandra Goldbacher.

The Reckoning is a strong television series, very difficult to watch. It is the story of the career of television personality, Jimmy Savile, and the revelation, a reckoning, of his abusive life.

The screenplay has been cowritten by Dan Davies, who had seen a television program of Jimmy Savile when he was young, followed through with his interest in Savile and seeming inconsistencies in his persona, eventually many interviews with Savile himself, finally writing an award winning account of several and his crimes.

From Wikipedia: “The boxes containing the many tapes, interview transcripts, newspaper cuttings and research articles that went into my book are taped shut and piled high in a shed. I don't want them in the house in which my three children live.

Davies' book In Plain Sight: The Life and Lies of Jimmy Savile was published in 2014. The book formed part of the basis of the BBC television series The Reckoning, and the series includes many scenes where Davies, played by Mark Stanley, interviews Savile.^”

 ^{The sequences of interviews with Davies are a framework for the exploration of Savile’s life – and they are uncomfortable watching, Savile sociable, insinuating about his life yet in denial, needing to talk to Davies, the clashing, his calling him back.}

^{With the flashbacks, there is information about  Savile and his family, his referring to his mother as the Duchess (played by Gemma Jones), visiting her in Scarborough, grieved at her death, yet revering her as something of a saint. Then there are his early years in television, his eccentric manner, his way of talking, the friendly persona, on the BBC, Top of the Pops – and later his program as he travelled in his caravan interviewing people around the UK and his manoeuvring himself into the television program, Jimmy’ll Fix It.}

^{It was courageous of Steve Coogan to take on the role but he has shown quite versatility in television programs and personas as Well Is in films. He is made up to look like Savile, perform like Savile. And the filmmakers have decided to include quite a range of sequences with the actual Jimmy Savile making Coogan’s performance all the more eerie.}

^{The series is in four parts. By the second part, teenage enthusiasts are introduced, focusing on one girl in particular who is assaulted and commits suicide. While Savile is called before the authorities, he always has an answer and, despite rumours, succeeded in his covering his crimes until he died.}

^{Each episode is framed by testimonies from actual survivors of Savile’s crimes. And, some of their stories are re-enacted, when they were children or young adults, making Samples double life, especially his travelling caravan, all the more sinister, accosting, especially young girls, and assaulting them with dire results.}

^{But, unmarried, capitalising on his freedoms, over the decades he raised millions of pounds for hospitals, acclaimed by Margaret Thatcher who eventually gave him a knighthood (actress Fenella Woolgar doing an excellent impression of Margaret Thatcher), crazed affirmed by Diane, meeting with the Pope, John Paul II during his tour of Britain, a papal knighthood.}

^{However, there were some who are suspicious, especially at the end, the series showing him hanging around hospitals, lurking in the morgue suspiciously, confronting nursing staff who push in the side.}

^{With the revelations after his death, great disillusionment with the British public, to have feted him and believed him for Savile’s many decades, the discovery that he was an abuser, a predator, narcissistic, all show in stating he would put smiles on people’s faces, but interiorly, a loner, lonely, angry…}

^{The series should be seen in conjunction with the BBC documentary, Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story (2022).}