Paddington (2014)

 

Last night I went with my mum and sister to our local multiplex for a screening of Paddington. As my mum's childhood favourite, me and my sister were bought up on the stories of the bear that found himself far away from his home in Darkest Peru and landed in the busy streets of London. It is safe to say that we were all eagerly anticipating this film for a good dose of nostalgia.

I am happy to announce that not one of us was disappointed. It is always dangerous, I feel, to see a modern creation of something you loved as a child, it is normally at least, never quite the same. However, director, Paul King, has done great justice to the bear and encapsulated the charm and heartwarming nature of Michael Bond's stories. 

I may be biased given my already present love of Paddington, but its hard to see how anyone could not like this film. Though admittedly I found it something of an emotional rollercoaster, quickly going from happy to sad, to tense, to happy, to nervous, to happy and back round again. The films naratative is well balanced, to me it feels short, though not rushed, but I think this is due to the increase in rather lengthy features (Interstella anyone?) that have been produced in that last few years.

Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins play the well-meaning parents wonderfully. Bonneville's cross dressing moment was enough to stir a child at the back of the screening in an uncontrollable fit of the giggles.  Normally, sitting in a screening full of children is not what I'd like, but in the case hearing the reaction of the scattered few only added to my enjoyment of the movie. The giggling and gasping and commenting made for an interesting insight into how this generations youngersters feel about movies. It is safe to say, that, if Paddington is anything to go by, they love it every bit as I do. Julie Walters was of course as excellent as ever, providing several laughs whilst being something of a voice of reason behind some plot points. Perhaps a little more of Capaldi and Broadbent wouldn't have gone a miss but that is simply being pandantic.


Paddington is contemporary enough for new audiences, without losing any of its original sinserity. Paul King is sure to maintain references to the time in which Bond stories were created. The suitcase and tag around the neck offers chimes of the war.

Paddington film exceeded my expectations, the charcaters indosyncracies and every other little quirk make for a delightful 95 minutes of screen time. It is sweet, warm and fun. Just what it should be.



Now, maramaldae sandwich anyone?