‘Everyone in London is different, and that’s why we all fit
in!’ says the eponymous hero of Paul King’s Paddington,
contemplating his new life in London after his forest home in Darkest Peru is
devastated by an earthquake. This single line of dialogue is the crux of the
piece, and something which turns what could have been an uninvolving adaptation
into something with a contemporary message and an identity of its own beyond
the original source material.
Adapted from the much-loved drawings of Michael Bond and the
stop-motion animations of the same name, Paddington
features the voice of Ben Whishaw as the titular bear, with Hugh Boneville
and Sally Hawkins as the put-upon parents of the Brown family, who take him
into their home when no-one else will. Paddington himself is a remarkable
creation of CGI from Gravity’s
Framestore Studios, who is integrated with his flesh-and-blood counterparts
with just as much skill and believability as the primates in the recent Planet of the Apes movies.
The film is visually wonderful, a rich colour palette and
free-flowing cinematography bringing not only the bear but the whole of London
to life, much in the vein of the first two Harry
Potter movies before the lights dimmed. The inhabitants of the film are just
as vibrant as the landscape, Hugh Boneville in very fine form as risk-analyst
Mr Brown as is Sally Hawkins as his free-spirit wife, along with Nicole Kidman
as the gleefully evil taxidermist (essentially dressed as Nigel Farage in
heels) determined to stuff poor Paddington. Ben Whishaw has the perfect voice
for Paddington, a posh but not overdone accent with a dash of timidity and humility
of a young bear just after a home.
Within the first twenty minutes, the film easily passes the
laugh test and soars into the comedy stratosphere all the way to the finish,
with that perfect blend of light slapstick with a tiny drop of innuendo for the
adults that doesn't take over as it does in too many kids’ movies. There are
high-flying action set-pieces, small moments of charm and a healthy dose of Outnumbered-esque style kids’ humour and
it all zips along at an enjoyable pace. But even beyond the wit, there’s clear
indication of how cine-literate the film is: if you look and listen hard
enough, you’ll find references to Mary
Poppins, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones and even Blade Runner (yes, really).
While its politics may be writ too large for some (I realise that sadly, certain members of a British audience won't welcome the message of inviting all people of all places to London) and the
schmaltzy ending is a mere teaspoon of sugar too sweet, Paddington is that rare example of an adaptation that pays more
than lip-service to the original and will be remembered just as fondly as the
humble drawings that inspired it. I can say with complete certainty (and
first-hand experience) that not only children, but grown-ups and anyone in-between
will be utterly charmed by it.
★★★★☆
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