It has been a pretty excellent year for British cinema, and we are only halfway through. 2025 has given us a brand new war epic that will leave you stunned, an absolute treat in the form of a new Bridget Jones movie and a thrilling comeback from Danny Boyle in his recent cinematic adventure. From romantic dramas to witty horror, we’ve seen it all. But are there any you might have missed? Here are my top five British film recommendations of the year so far.
We Live in Time
A British tear-jerker starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, what more could you want? We Live in Time is a romantic drama film that is so elegantly portrayed. It was directed by John Crowley and has proved a hit with movie fans. It’s synopsis reads: “Almut (Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together – falling for each other, building a home, becoming a family – a difficult truth is revealed that rocks its foundation. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.”
Hard Truths
Mike Leigh’s most recent addition to British film has excelled all expectations. The comedy drama film stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, and David Webber and it has been met with widespread critical acclaim. It’s synopsis reads: “Pansy, angry and depressed, lashes out at family and strangers. Her constant criticism isolates her, except from her cheerful sister Chantelle, who remains sympathetic despite their differences.”
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Nearly ten years on from our last offering, Bridget Jones has returned to our screens with Mad About the Boy. This time adding Leo Woodall and Chiwetel Ejiofor to the cast list. The film’s synopsis reads: “After jumping back into the dating pool, single mother Bridget Jones finds herself caught between a younger man and her son’s science teacher.”
Warfare
Warfare, written and directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, is based on the former’s experience serving in the Iraq War and follows a group of US Navy SEALs in real-time as they embark on a dangerous assignment through enemy territory. The film is largely based on the soldier Mendoza (D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai) and his best friend Elliot Miller (Cosmo Jarvis), who were sent on a deadly mission to the city of Ramadi where Miller was seriously injured while engaging in combat. The film has been hailed by the critics and has a stellar cast list.
28 Years Later
The newest release from Danny Boyle alongside Alex Garland, 28 Years Later, the third in the franchise hit screens earlier this summer. This time starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams and Ralph Fiennes. The film’s synopsis reads: ” It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.”