Paddington 2: A Review

In these times of strife you sometimes need a little bit of old fashioned, non-threatening family fun and what better than a polite little bear in a duffel coat and a dusty red hat. Paddington 2 is a great film for the whole family.

The film starts with a flashback to Paddington as a cub being found by his Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo when he is adrift on a log about to go over a waterfall. We then see Paddington (Voiced by Ben Wishaw) in London with the Brown family looking for a present for his Aunt Lucy's birthday. He finds an old pop up book of London and decides it's perfect as Aunt Lucy always wanted to see London. The problem is that book is very rare and quite expensive.

Paddington embarks on some jobs to try and make enough money to buy the book. This involves some funny scenes as Paddington tries being a barber and a window cleaner. I could hear my kids giggling away at these scenes and I found the quite funny myself.

Next we meet the villain of the film, Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) a once prominent actor whose star is fading and has had to resort to making dog food commercials. Hugh Grant is brilliant and really hams it up and plays Phoenix as a proper luvvy (and slightly unhinged, especially in the scene where he is talking to himself). Paddington tells Phoenix about the book but Phoenix knows more valuable than anyone else suspects (due to a side plot about his grandfather and a travelling fair) he plots to steal the book for himself. Paddington witnesses Phoenix (in disguise) stealing the book and gives chase. After a case of mistaken identity Paddington is accuses of the theft and sentenced to jail.

Paddington being the friendly bear he is he decides to try an make friends with his fellow inmates. He meets Knuckles McGinty (Brendan Gleeson), The mean, Gruff looking chef at the prison. All the inmates are scared of knuckles but Paddington being the nice bear he is manages to make friends with Knuckles by sharing his Marmalade sandwiches. Paddington, Knuckles and few other inmates plan to escape so Paddington can clear his name. On the outside The Brown family are looking for the real thief and Phoenix Buchanan is using the pop up book like a treasure map to find a hidden fortune. Will Paddington clear his name, will Phoenix get away with it, will Aunt Lucy ever get a birthday present? You will have to see the film to find out.

This is a rip roaring yarn with lots of fun, a lot of laughs and some sad moments too, Mrs Cool shed a tear at one particularly sad scene but ultimately it is a really heart warming film. I haven't seen the first film but I'm familiar with Paddington and know the story. I don't think I missed any thing by not having seen the first one and I think everyone who sees this will enjoy the delightful joy and pure fun that the Spectacled bear from darkest Peru brings to the big screen.

If you're looking for a different family film you can also read my review of Thor: Ragnarok here.

Well, that's all for now.

S

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