THE STORY – Paddington and his adopted family, the Browns, decide to visit his aunt Lucy in Peru, but circumstances lead them towards misadventures in the Amazon rainforest and mountains of Peru.
THE CAST – Ben Whishaw, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Olivia Colman, Haley Atwell, Jim Broadbent & Antonio Banderas
THE TEAM – Dougal Wilson (Director), Mark Burton, Jon Foster & James Lamont (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 106 minutes
Even though Paddington Bear has been around since 1958, it wasn’t until director Paul King brought the silly old bear to the big screen that he transcended from being a British icon to a global sensation. “Paddington 2” hit cinemas back in 2017 and since then has garnered a reputation as one of the most cherished family films of modern times. Charming kids and adults alike with its earnest, often clumsy, and relentlessly kind protagonist. Even Nicolas Cage wasn’t immune to the film’s wholesomeness, as illustrated by the amusing scene of him in “The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent” being rendered a weepy mess by the end credits. Oh yeah, spoilers. Sorry, not sorry.
There was always going to be a lot of pressure following “Paddington 2,” especially with Paul King absent from directorial duties this time around. What was concerning was that the reins were being handed over to Dougal Wilson, who would be making his directorial feature debut with “Paddington In Peru.” Anticipation levels were high, and this would be a tall order for someone like Steven Spielberg to fill – let alone a rookie. But need not worry, Wilson was an inspired choice to take over. His sappy sensibilities that he brought to his memorable “John Lewis” Christmas adverts, feel very much at home in the heartfelt “Paddington” franchise. For those readers unaccustomed to how much fuss the Brits make over the annual “John Lewis” Christmas ad campaigns, simply type “Monty the Penguin” into YouTube, and you’ll immediately understand why Wilson was the right man to hire for this.
Admittedly, “Paddington In Peru” doesn’t quite reach its predecessor’s emotional or hilarious heights. Nonetheless, it is still a warm fuzzy hug of a movie that solidifies “Paddington” as one of the strongest and most touching cinematic trilogies of all time. What’s funny is you could arguably call this film “the weakest” of the three, yet it is still one of the year’s best films.
Even though Paddington has become synonymous with British culture, the latest film starts with Paddington (wonderfully voiced again by Ben Whishaw) officially becoming a British citizen with his passport, arriving at the post, and being congratulated by his friends and family. In the years that have passed since the previous film, all is seemingly fine with Paddington’s adoptive family, The Browns. But as Paddington observes, they appear to be spending less time with each other. Mrs Brown (Ermily Mortimer) is struggling with the inevitability of empty-nest syndrome, as daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) is busy with preparations to leave for university and her now-teenaged son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) is spending most of his time procrastinating in his room. Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) is plodding along but hardly progressing with his risk-assessment job. His overly cautious temperament is at odds with the ethos of his new American CEO Madison (Hayley Atwell) who tells her employees to “embrace the risk” in order to achieve personal and professional satisfaction. It would seem the Browns are all a little lost, but Paddington’s Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) is in the most trouble. After Paddington receives a letter from Peru from the desk of the reverend mother of the home for retired bears – played by a gleefully fun Olivia Colman indulging in every moment of her “Sound of Music” fantasy – she informs Paddington that Aunt Lucy has gone missing. So Paddington and the Browns trade in the cobblestones of Windsor Gardens for the harsh terrain of the Amazon jungle in hopes of finding her. They enlist the help of a boat captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous), to help them navigate the Amazon rivers. But while the Browns are looking for Lucy, the troubled Hunter is in search of his own fame and fortune. He hoped to bring glory to his ancestors by finding the lost city of Eldorado, which Hunter believes is tied to Paddington Bear himself.
What’s wonderful about “Paddington In Peru” is that I watched it surrounded by both kids and adults, and there was genuine laughter from every demographic. When people say “family film,” – the “Paddington” movies truly are the real deal in this regard, and “Paddington In Peru” is no exception. It’s a rip-roaring adventure that’s a joyous journey for the whole family to enjoy. There are enough Paddington-mishaps involving photobooths, pratfalls, and hammocks for kids to giggle at and enough parental humor and homages to “Indiana Jones” for grown-ups to appreciate. Plus, the expressive physical comedy of Olivia Colman in a nun’s habit is priceless – regardless of who the laughs are meant for. Talk about a scene-stealer, Colman only has to widen her eyes or smile gawkishly to elicit the loudest reactions from audiences.
While this entry isn’t as laugh-a-minute funny as “Paddington 2,” Wilson has struck just the right balance of comedy and sincere emotion. Nearly everyone will walk away from the cinema with grins on their face or tears in their eyes. Or, if you’re like me, maybe a bit of both. The script is also tightly woven, with every minor plot or character detail established early on and returning to play later. There are no wasted moments or characters, and it’s clear a ton of effort and care was put into making sure the legacy King established would be honored and could continue with the same tone and appreciation by its many fans all over the world. No thread gets left behind, and everything is wrapped so neatly and tidily by the end – like an ornamental jar or marmalade. “Paddington In Peru” is an ooey-gooey sweet tale of returning home and finding where you truly belong.
