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. ‘Everyone in London is different, and that’s why we all fit in!’ says the eponymous hero of Paul King’s, 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.





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. Adapted from the much-loved drawings of Michael Bond and the stop-motion animations of the same name,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’s Framestore Studios, who is integrated with his flesh-and-blood counterparts with just as much skill and believability as the primates in the recentmovies.









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. 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 twomovies 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.





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). 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 ofesque 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 toand even(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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