It's easy these days to be cynical about children's entertainment, or really entertainment in general. What, with sequels, remakes, reboots, etc., it seems like money is all people think about and we don't help them when we just go and see whatever they vomit up for us to watch. And then there's PADDINGTON. Yes, it's based on preexisting source material, but there's an affection for its central character that comes across despite leaning on common narrative tropes. It also helps that the film has a great message that will speak to adults and children alike. For those uninitiated (like myself, before watching this), PADDINGTON is about the titular bear who hails from "Darkest Peru" and travels to London to find himself a home. He ends up staying with a family who finds him at the train station, initially on a temporary basis, but the family grows to love and appreciate him. There's also an evil taxidermist (Nicole Kidman) who's trying to get her hands on him, and with whom he shares an interesting connection. That's all you really need to know going in, especially if you've seen the trailer already. Far and away the best thing about the film is Ben Whishaw, who provides the voice-over for Paddington. He did a great job conveying the innocence and politeness that are a huge part of the character. Of course, the animators did a bang-up job as well, and this is some of the best CGI/live-action integration I've ever seen. The rest of the cast does quite well for themselves, too, even if their characters are a bit "stock" in nature and go through typical transformations over the course of the film. Nicole Kidman was good too, but her character really isn't given much screen time, or much to do at all for that matter. She gets one big scene in which she reveals something I won't spoil here, but I called the twist when she was first introduced and its revelation left me wondering "That's it?" However, villain underdevelopment and narrative tropes aside, this was a very pleasant and funny film to watch. There are a number of scenes with some absolutely hysterical physical comedy, and some small details which end up getting satisfactory payoffs later. And most of all, I liked the messages about treating people with kindness and the nature of family. There's even a bit of subtext about immigration that might go over children's heads, but that parents will hopefully pick up on. Overall, I don't think is some masterpiece. The plot bears (no pun intended) a slight resemblance in some respects to Beethoven, although it's arguably done better here. What is true is that PADDINGTON is a refreshingly positive and heartwarming experience that should appeal to all ages, and that's something to be proud of.
Review of Paddington
