Don't you know Marmalade addictions are no laughing matter? "Paddington" packs family-friendly humour into a cheeky British concoction, mastered by Paul King. Written by Scott Gentry.

“Paddington” (PG)
Directed by: Paul King.
Starring: Ben Whishaw (voice), Julie Walters, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Peter Capaldi, Jim Broadbent and Nicole Kidman.
Rated: ‘PG’ for containing dangerous behaviour, mild threat, innuendo and infrequent mild bad language.
Running time: 95 minutes. 
Now showing in UK cinemas.

It was a relatively cold November morning when I had the pleasure of viewing “Paddington” (amongst a packed screen of critics and children alike), and prior to its scheduled start, I didn’t think anyone was expecting quite the film it turned out to be.  Throughout this Python-esque 95 minute extravaganza, I’d never heard so much raucous laughter in all of my life. The film was met with untold praise. Surprised? Not as much as I was. 

The latest update of this childhood phenomenon charters the very beginnings of Paddinton’s life, beginning with his early years  in the depths of deepest darkest Peru, in which he lives happily with his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) and Uncle Pastuzo (Michael Gambon). After a freak earthquake destroys his family home, Lucy decides that it’s time for Paddington to step out into the big wide world, in search of a new family who can take care of him properly. The sprightly and gentlemanly bear agrees, and stows away in a ship bound for London. 

When he eventually arrives at Paddington station, our small protagonist realises that life in the city is far more dangerous and intimidating than he imagined.  Just as all hope seems lost, Paddington makes the acquaintance of the Brown family, consisting of Mr. Brown (Bonneville), the happy-go-lucky Mrs. Brown (Hawkins), the adventurous Jonathan (Samuel Joslin of “The Impossible” fame), and Judy (Madeleine Harris), an emotion-concealing teenager. But when a villainous taxidermist (Kidman) from the Natural History Museum discovers that Paddington is an endangered bear, she sets out to catch him at any cost, threatening to destroy the growing friendship of Paddington and the Brown family. 

“Paddington” as I remember it, was never quite like this. But Paul King’s (“Bunny And The Bull”) renewal of the young bear’s story is welcomed due to his unbelievably witty script, inspired by the style and verve of a child-friendly “Mighty Boosh” episode. It all fits due to the writing, and King masterfully blends child and adult jokes together, to create a ludicrously imaginative piece which appeals to people of any age, featuring many quotable lines. Not only is it similar to the  Python’s British style, but it is also filled with meticulous detail, reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s large back-catalogue. 

The CGI is also something worth mentioning, as the British company Framestore (“Gravity”) have helped to create a believable and fun-loving character (despite not providing an actual presence on–set), who seems completely real throughout his scenes within the film. It’s no mean feat, but Framestore have outdone themselves, creating a perfect companion to the human characters. The entire cast is talented, especially Bonneville and Hawkins who provide hilarious comedic turns  throughout. Joslin and Harris are on fine form as the Brown children, working well with the more experienced of cast members, particularly a wonderfully devilish Kidman, who surprises in her comic abilities. Without the correct voice, Paddington wouldn’t have sounded right, and Colin Firth may have fit, but it was King’s ultimate decision to change from Firth to Ben Whishaw, who’s soft and tender British voice suits the polite bear perfectly. Along with a host of talented actors, “Paddington” is also graced with cameos from Britain’s best comedians, providing some laugh-out-loud scenes.  

Verdict

“Paddington” is one of Britain’s latest and greatest cinematic achievements; blending five star British humour with a lovely and fluffy plot, it’s hard not to fall under its family-friendly spell. 

8 stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film/TV Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

Trailer

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