Review:
"Paddington 2"
Release Date: Jan. 12, 2018
Rating: PG Running Time: 103 minutes Marmalade is the new orange thanks to a certain bear from Peru. In the wonderful family treat Paddington 2, London’s furriest and most considerate immigrant lands himself in prison after he is wrongfully accused of stealing a valuable popup book from the antique store belonging to his friend Samuel Gruber (Jim Broadbent). Once locked up, Paddington introduces his fellow inmates to the culinary delight that is the marmalade sandwich. Needless to say, this allows the Ben Whislaw-voiced Paddington to win over even the toughest convict (a pleasingly gruff Brendan Gleeson) in the joint. This minor victory underscores the mantra that Paddington has adopted from his Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) and informs every moment of this lovingly crafted sequel: When we’re kind and polite, the world will be right. This is a time when kindness and politeness are no longer in vogue, and the world sure as heck isn’t right. And the world would be a better place if it learned from Paddington. Yes, there are times in Paddington 2 when the benevolent bear loses a bit of his faith in humanity as a result of his false imprisonment. But Paddington 2 retains the same sunny demeanor and compassionate spirit that made its predecessor such a joyfully optimistic family affair. There isn’t a hint of cynicism to be found in Paddington’s plight, which ultimately affirms the values he holds so dear and spreads to others without judgment. Even the villain, who is played with such comic gusto by a fully engaged Hugh Grant, isn’t filled with hate and despair. He’s an actor who steals a treasure map concealed as a popup book of London landmarks so he can return to what he loves the most: performing on the stage. Grant instills in his Phoenix Buchanan the perfect balance of pomposity and delusion that affectionately recalls Vincent Price’s otherwise vengeful and blood-thirsty Edward Lionheart from Theater of Blood. He even is in on the joke that pokes fun at the foppish image he projected circa Four Weddings and a Funeral. More important, Buchanan is a worthy successor to the obsessed taxidermist Nicole Kidman played with such delicious nastiness. Paddington is the rare franchise that is dedicated to matching its demonstrative protagonist and his loving family with colorful and complex adversaries. If Grant steals Paddington 2 with a twinkle in his eye, Sally Hawkins and Hugh Bonneville remain content to serve as dual paragons of parenthood. Granted, Bonneville’s Henry Brown still overthinks everything, but it provides a necessary counterbalance to the brash behavior exhibited by Hawkins’ instinctive Mary Brown. Nevertheless, the unconditional love the Brown family—as well as Julie Walters’ housekeeper Mrs. Bird— harbor for Paddington can be felt every moment they are onscreen. Returning writer/director Paul King clearly has a strong affinity for author Michael Bond’s beloved literary creation. He crafts a crime caper that plays to Paddington’s virtues and tells it with care and positivity. King tops some of the first film’s set pieces—from a barbershop mishap to a daring prison break—with gleeful aplomb and brings a Wes Anderson-ish grandiosity to the prison scenes. This is never more evident than when Paddington gets to work on preparing a large batch of marmalade. Paddington 2 even ends with a musical number that rewards Grant for a job well done. More important, King maintains the distinct Britishness of the first film, which further fuels Paddington’s love of his adopted London. To misquote Oscar Wilde, the bear who can dominate a London prison dinner-table can dominate the world. And hopefully make it just a little bit kinder. Robert Sims Aired: Jan. 11, 2018 Web site: https://www.paddington.com/us/ |
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