Bridget Jones’s Baby ***

Dir:  Sharon Maguire

Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey, Emma Thompson. Mark Burton, Richard Starzack

Bridget Jones has been missing from the big screen for a dozen years and Rene Zellweger for half as long. And as Bridget Jones’s Baby begins we quickly realise that we’ve missed them both. Rumours - and certain photographs - to the contrary Zellweger still looks pretty much like herself (apart from the natural effects of aging) and Bridget is still Bridget - klutzy and lovable, if about two stones lighter, and still torn between two men. This time around though Mark Darcy’s (Colin Firth) rival isn’t the ultimate cad Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) but American internet matchmaking millionaire, Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey). Who is she going to choose? And, perhaps more importantly, who is her baby’s dad (that quandary arising out of unintended romantic situations and expired condoms)?

Zellweger has lost none of her charm and comic timing and the movie gives you enough laughs and some lightly warm and fuzzy moments to keep you engaged and entertained. Bridget’s friends and family - familiar to us from the first two movies – are also on hand as is Daniel Cleaver in a roundabout way (I won’t reveal exactly how). Emma Thompson - she is one of the screenwriters along with Helen Fielding, Bridget’s creator - essays Bridget’s gynaecologist and has some pretty good lines too.

There was really no need to make this movie as Bridget’s story was pretty much told and the movie does tread old ground but if you are a Bridget Jones fan you should enjoy this one.

Cut to chase: This film wasn’t necessary but it is pleasant visiting this old friend.

 

MS Dhoni: The Untold Story  ** ½

Dir:  Neeraj Pandey

Starring: Sushant Singh Rajput, Anupam Kher, Bhumika Chawla, Kiara Advani, Disha Patani, Herry Tangri

The first half of MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, a bio-pic of one of India’s most successful cricket captains, works rather well for its first 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the movie is three hours long and fades badly in its second half. Still, the first half is very much worth a watch, chronicling the inspirational rags to riches tale of MS Dhoni as he went from humble beginnings to knocking on the day of India’s national team, helped along the way by his family, friends and various benefactors like his school sports coach and powered by his strong-willed desire to succeed. Sushant Singh Rajput’s performance is a major plus as he gets Dhoni’s mannerism and cricketing body language down pat. There is also a rather delightful little sequence of a young Dhoni coming across a young Yuvraj Singh (Herry Tangri) in a juniors match.

But once the tale reaches the point of Dhoni making the national team the movie becomes basically a highlights reel – a greatest hits of Dhoni’s career – rather than providing any insights into the man or delving into any of the controversies that have surrounded him or his (sometimes fractious) working relationship with some of his teammates. The movie also gets side-tracked with Bollywood style romancing and the two major romantic relationship of Dhoni’s life (albeit both are essayed by attractive newcomers Disha Patani and Kiara Advani). If only the movie’s second half had been half as good as the first.

Cut to chase: The first half works but the movie is bowled out in the second half.

 

Kmumtaz1@hotmail.com; Twitter: @KhusroMumtaz

Rating system:  *Not on your life     ** Hardly worth the bother     ** ½ Okay for a slow afternoon only     *** Good enough for a look see     *** ½ Recommended viewing     **** Don’t miss it     **** ½ Almost perfect     ***** Perfection