Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Julie Walters in the Paul King movie ‘Paddington’

Bringing a friendly disposition to family film, we raise the Paul King directed live-action animated movie Paddington (2014). Written by Hamish McColl and Paul King based on the Paddington Bear character created by Michael Bond, we meet the bear from the jungles of Peru who makes his way to London, England, United Kingdom.

(From left, Uncle Pastuzo as voiced by Michael Gambon and Aunt Lucy as voiced by Imelda Staunton in the Paul King movie Paddington).

We first encounter the origin story of Paddington when a geographer from the United Kingdom meets intelligent bears with a fondness for marmalade in South America. The European geographer names these bears with human qualities and the ability to speak the English language Lucy and Pastuzo, inviting them to visit London at any point that is convenient for them. Tens of years pass without further contact between the geographer and the bears.

(Paddington Bear as voiced by Ben Whishaw in the Paul King movie Paddington).

An orphaned bear comes to live with the Peruvian bears, that is until an earthquake destroys the family home, killing the orphaned bear’s Uncle Pastuzo and forcing a decision upon Aunt Lucy and the young bear. Remembering the inviting to visit London from all those years ago, the young bear arrives at Paddington Railway Station in London by cargo ship, introducing a crucial sequence the delivers our movie.

(From left, Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown, Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown, Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown and Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown in the Paul King movie Paddington).

The young bear encounters Henry and Mary Brown along with their kids Jonathan and Judy at the railway station once arriving there. Seemingly not been granted a name by his aunt and uncle, the Brown family agree to take him in for what first is intended to be a night. Addressing the bear as Paddington after the railway station), it would be upon Henry Brown’s insistence that some form of validation of the story Paddington arrive with needed confirming.

(From left, Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird, Jim Broadbent as Samuel Gruber and Tim Downie as Montgomery Clyde in the Paul King movie Paddington).

Mary, Judy and Jonathan, along with the family housekeeper, Mrs. Bird, find the cuteness and personality of the bear hard to resist, thus bonding with the young bear. Further impactful bring in Samuel Gruber, Montgomery Clyde and especially Millicent Clyde. Never has the Natural History Museum in London, nor geological expeditions from multiple decades previous, been so important. The ties that bind one to family in the past and present come strongly to the forefront in this family friendly movie.

(From left, Nicole Kidman as Millicent Clyde (as an adult) and Lottie Steer as Millicent Clyde (as a child) in the Paul King movie Paddington).

The charming essence of Paddington Bear remains true to the storybooks I remember from my childhood. I was entertained with this movie, as was Lynn, the other half of the namesake for Matt Lynn Digital. I grant the movie Paddington as directed by Paul King 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, January 11, 2023