Paddington 2
Image Credit: StudioCanal
Simon Dillon,
16th Nov 2017
Tags:
Life
Review
Adventure
Animation
Comedy
Film
Every bit as good as it's predecessor, 'Paddington 2' is an absolute blast for the entire family, and one of the best films I have seen this year.
After the events of the first film, talking bear Paddington is happy in his London home with the Browns. When he decides to buy his aunt Lucy an antique pop-up book for her birthday, he gets a job in order to save up. An hilarious and disastrous stint as a barber leads to slightly more gainful employment as a window cleaner, and soon Paddington almost has enough to buy the treasured book. But has-been actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) also has his sights on the book, for his own nefarious purposes, and a convoluted mix-up leads to Paddington being framed for the theft.
The cast are as superb here as in the original, with Ben Whishaw voicing Paddington perfectly. Hugh Grant is a terrific, hugely entertaining, master-of-disguise villain, every bit as boo-hiss as Nicole Kidman's psychopathic taxidermist in the first film. The Brown family return too, in the form of Hugh Bonneville's Henry (decidedly miffed at being passed over for promotion in favour of some young upstart), Sally Hawkins's Mary (as wonderfully kind, imaginative and courageous as ever), Samuel Joshlin's Jonathan (peer pressure causing him to hide his love of steam trains), Madeleine Harris's Judy (getting over a boyfriend by starting her own newspaper) and Julie Walters' Mrs Bird (still telling it like it is, and having tremendous fun into the bargain). Jim Broadbent returns as antique shop dealer Mr Gruber, along with mean-spirited Mr Curry (Peter Capaldi), and new characters in the form of Knuckles McGinty (Brendan Gleeson) and a particularly harassed judge (Tom Conti), both of whom add to the tremendous, whimsical fun.
One of the best films I have seen this year.
Director Paul King helms some splendid slapstick action set pieces, notably the break-in sequence when Paddington gets framed, and the train chase finale (a thrilling stand-out). It goes without saying that the special effects are great, but in addition to laughs and thrills, the film is perfectly pitched for just the right level of Mary Poppins-esque poignancy, particularly in the tear-jerking, note-perfect final scene. The Greek chorus Calypso band return too, materialising in increasingly surreal places. But this doesn't feel at all odd in a film that features a tour-de-force sequence with Paddington inside a pop-up book.
On a moral and spiritual level, there is an understated, non-preachy but clear message about how seeing the best in people can help them change for the better, reflecting the themes in the Michael Bond source books. Paddington's effect on people is often akin to George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life. Without his presence in their lives, things could have gone horribly awry. The London Paddington lives in may be nothing more than a fantasy, but it's a beautiful fantasy. Yes, we might wish life was like the world of Paddington, but we can all determine to see the good in people, and if that isn't a positive message to send in a film aimed at all ages, I don't know what is.
Unquestionably the must-see family film of the year, 'Paddington 2' is that rare thing: a sequel that equals the original. There are absolutely no excuses for not going to see it. Oh - and make sure you stay for extra hilarity during the end credits.
