Cute, live action feature for all the family as Paddington Bear arrives in London where the Brown family comes across the lost and forlorn talking bear with a love for marmalade.
A stowaway, a young Peruvian bear makes his way to London. With his home destroyed by an earthquake, he is sent away to a place ‘where he will always be welcome’ according to Montgomery Clyde, head of a British geographical expedition that had passed through Peru decades earlier. But London is not as welcoming as expected – until, finding himself at Paddington station lost property office, he is found by the Brown family. An initially reluctant Mr Brown (Hugh Bonneville) is persuaded by his kindly wife (Sally Hawkins) and their two kids to at least give the newly named Paddington shelter for the night. And so begins a dastardly adventure. As Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) deals with the challenges of suburban living and the Browns cope with the chaos so, unbeknownst to them, the director of the Natural History Museum (Nicole Kidman) plots to kidnap this example of a rare, intelligent species of bear.
Oozing charm, Paddington is a gorgeously inventive family film that is fun, thrilling, silly and hugely entertaining. And at the age of 88, Michael Bond, creator of the classic character, has a cameo role as a kindly neighbour.
Rating: 72%
Director: Paul King (Wonka, Paddington 2)
Writer: Paul King (Wonka, Paddington 2)
Main cast: Hugh Bonneville (Viceroy’s House, Downton Abbey), Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine, The Shape of Water), Nicole Kidman (The Hours, Destroyer)
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