dir. by Paul King
writ. by Paul King & Simon Farnaby
2015's Paddington was an unexpected delight, a sweet and funny kids' movie which did justice to its source material with a warm and inviting tone which gave it broad family appeal despite being clearly geared at a younger demographic. Especially when so much family fare can be shrill and overly self-aware. the simple charms and Wes Anderson-inspired visuals of Paddington were refreshing, even with all of its broad slapstick.
Like its predecessor, Paddington 2 has arrived in North American cinemas riding a tidal wave of good news from its original United Kingdom release, and also like its predecessor, that praise is warranted. But whereas the original film was merely sweet and endearing, this sequel is a nonstop delight, tightening up the prior film's slapstick while doubling down on its heartwarming sweetness, making for a truly joyous example of pure cinematic pleasure. Paddington 2 is absolutely brilliant, and that makes its American dump release in January all the more criminal.
Paddington (voiced by Ben Wishaw) has become comfortable in his new London community, and wishes to purchase a pop-up book of London for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, to show her how much he appreciates all she's done for him. However, when the book is stolen from Samuel Gruber's (Jim Broadbent) antique shop, he's framed for the crime, and is forced to adjust to prison life. Meanwhile, his adoptive family - in particular parents Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins) and her husband Henry (Hugh Bonneville) - attempts to plead his case and search for the real thief, as well as any evidence which might exonerate Paddington.
If the first Paddington film merely offered a simple message about the nature of family, Paddington 2 goes much further to promote a whole value system based on kindness and empathy, with the bear himself serving as an exemplar. Even in prison, Paddington attempts to be polite and understanding, and although this doesn't always work out for him, his mere presence, defined as it is by a total lack of cynicism, appears to warm up every place where he takes residence. Although some of these scenarios are clearly fantastical, the total sincerity of the film's optimism is profoundly heartwarming, and not only is there a pure escapist thrill in this world where even the scariest criminals have their good side ultimately shine through, there's also a solid example of good behaviour for children.
But Paddington 2 has more than just warmth and optimism. Although there's still a fair bit of broad slapstick, it's much tighter this time around, and even at its least clever, Paddington's earnestness and good attitude keep it buoyant. Furthermore, much of the slapstick here is genuinely inventive, and while this is hardly an action movie, it contains at least one action sequence which is so thrilling and tightly paced that this year's actual action films will be very hard-pressed to compete. There's a momentum to this movie which ebbs and flows as the plot demands but never stops, and even outside of the slapstick and the action, so many scenes are delightfully kinetic, nowhere better exemplified than in the opening sequence of Paddington simply riding through London, greeting everyone he encounters but constantly moving forward.
Also carried from the previous film is the exuberant colour palette and the clever parallel frames. Nothing here is nearly as fussy as the films of Wes Anderson, and director Paul King has done more this time to differentiate his style, but many of the same charms still apply. The set designs are still detailed and colourful, and the framing is consistently sharp and clever, but whereas Anderson's films invariably have an off-kilter sensibility, King's images are somewhat more conventional, yet also much more warm and cozy.
The bear's own sweetness is clearly the star of the film, but other characters are similarly delightful. Sally Hawkins, fresh off of award nominations for The Shape of Water, delivers an equally brilliant performance, again demonstrating a strong feel for the physical aspects of acting. Hugh Bonneville, meanwhile, is comparatively uptight, as suits his character, but proves equally capable of delivering his punchlines, and one scene involving him in the wrong place at the wrong time is a particular howler. Brendan Gleeson pops up as the gruff, imposing Knuckles, whom alternates fluidly between frightening intensity and genuine charm without missing a beat, and perhaps most entertaining of all is Hugh Grant as the villainous Phoenix Buchanan, a deliriously kooky stage actor whose eccentric mannerisms are a constant delight.
Alongside them is a diverse and bustling London, with a properly representative sample of the population rather than a bunch of white faces, which all contributes to making the city feel suitably lived-in. More importantly, these characters are all genuinely funny, even if some get larger parts than others. While slapstick comprises a large part of Paddington 2's humour, there's also a lot of laughs derived from dialogue, as well as simply from character behaviour. The constant inventiveness of the visual gags is matched by the sharp wit of the writing, with a very funny script further spicing up an already lively film without ever intruding on it. It's funny and clever, but it's also tightly paced and all organic in its own fantastical way.
Paddington was a terrific family picture, but Paddington 2 eclipses it as a genuinely brilliant piece of escapism. These movies' trademark optimism and sweetness is here matched with a tight pace, a creative storyline, and a constant procession of terrific jokes, all in favour of a truly inspiring world wherein human kindness prevails. Many films of varying quality espouse those values, but what makes Paddington 2 special is how it weaves those into its surface pleasures, and how perfectly they fit into the inviting world and joyous flow of Paddington Bear. This isn't just a well-made family adventure but a genuinely terrific film, one which exudes happiness from every glorious second. That first film might have warranted repeat play by many families, but this sequel has the potential to be genuinely iconic.
10/10
+ Delightfully kinetic, with a strong eye for movement.
+ Tells a gloriously charming story about maintaining kindness in an unkind world.
Todd Throndson
VioletWisp
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