Paddington 2 (2017) Review: Kindness Behind Bars

Is Paddington 2 worth watching?

Yes. Paddington 2 is a near-perfect family film: funny, beautifully designed, genuinely moving and so good-natured that it feels restorative, and it improves on an already lovely first film. Paul King’s inventive direction, Ben Whishaw’s gentle voice work and Hugh Grant’s gloriously vain villain make it a joy for every age. If there is a reservation, it is that the plot is simple and the finale leans on digital spectacle, but these are small quibbles next to its charm.

What is Paddington 2 about?

Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) is now happily settled with the Brown family in London, where his polite optimism has made him a favourite of the neighbourhood. When he spots an antique pop-up book of London that would make the perfect present for his beloved Aunt Lucy, he takes on a series of odd jobs to earn the money to buy it. Then the book is stolen, Paddington is wrongly accused, and he ends up in prison, while the Browns, led by Mrs Brown (Sally Hawkins), set out to clear his name.

Paddington 2 was directed by Paul King, who co-wrote it with Simon Farnaby, based on Michael Bond’s beloved books. It is a British film in English, runs 103 minutes, and features Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters and Brendan Gleeson.

Hugh Grant steals the show

Grant plays Phoenix Buchanan, a faded actor reduced to dog-food commercials and fête openings, and he gives one of the most enjoyable comic performances of his career. Buchanan is a man of monstrous vanity and many disguises, and Grant clearly relishes the chance to send up his own image and the theatrical profession with a string of absurd costumes and wounded egos. His performance is so gleefully committed that it became one of the film’s most celebrated elements.

The rest of the cast is equally well chosen. Brendan Gleeson is superb as a fearsome prison cook whose gruff exterior is no match for Paddington’s politeness, and their scenes together are among the funniest in the film. Sally Hawkins and Hugh Bonneville give the Browns warmth and eccentricity.

Design, invention and old-fashioned charm

Paul King’s direction is full of visual invention. The film’s London is a storybook version of the city, bright, detailed and slightly heightened, and the camera moves with a precision that recalls classic silent comedy and the dollhouse framing of Wes Anderson. A sequence in which Paddington imagines exploring the pop-up book with Aunt Lucy is a small masterpiece of design, blending animation and live action with delicate imagination.

The comedy is built on elaborate set pieces worthy of Buster Keaton, from a disastrous stint in a barber’s shop to the prison laundry scene, and the physical humour is perfectly timed. The CGI Paddington is expressive and convincing, and Whishaw’s voice gives him a sincerity that grounds even the silliest moments.

A simple story, perfectly told

The film’s plot is straightforward, and its villain and resolution will not surprise adults. The climactic train sequence relies more heavily on digital effects than the handcrafted comedy earlier on, and some viewers may find the film’s relentless kindness a little too sweet. But the story’s simplicity is also a strength: it allows the film’s message, that politeness and kindness can change the world, to shine through without cynicism.

Who should watch Paddington 2?

It is ideal for families with children of any age, but adults without children will enjoy it just as much; its humour works on several levels. It is also a perfect choice for anyone who needs a genuinely uplifting film. There is mild peril and slapstick violence, but nothing frightening for most young viewers. For more family viewing:

• Paddington, the 2014 original, which introduces the bear and the Browns and sets up the sequel’s world.
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, another British family favourite with a similarly cosy sense of wonder.
• The Sheep Detectives, a more recent British comedy mystery with a gentle, animal-led sense of fun.

The verdict

Paddington 2 is a warm, witty and beautifully crafted family comedy, with a scene-stealing Hugh Grant and a hero whose kindness never feels saccharine. Its plot is simple and its finale a little too digital, but it remains one of the most purely delightful films of its time.

Rating: 4.5/5