‘Paddington in Peru’ Blu-ray (review)

Sony Pictures

I fell into the Paddington Movie franchise completely by accident as the result of a joke.

I hadn’t seen any of the Paddington movies until the seed was planted by Pedro Pascal and Nic Cage. In their film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, the two men proclaim that Paddington 2 is one of the greatest movies ever made.

Several nights later, I was shuffling through Netflix, and landed on the first Paddington film. I thought, “why the hell not?”.

My husband and I binged both Paddington and Paddington 2 in a single evening, laughing and passing the tissue box back and forth. We had to admit, Paddington is feel-good, movie gold.

I was both excited and apprehensive when I saw they were making a third movie, Paddington in Peru.

New director, new writers, new Mrs. Brown.  Will it have the same heart?

Paddington in Peris holds true to the soul of Paddington.  It is chock full of cuteness and slapstick comedy for viewers under 8 years old to enjoy, and sprinkled with enough tongue-in-cheek humor to make the adults laugh.

Paddington in Peru sees Paddington settle into his life in London with the Brown family.  He has even become a British citizen, passport and all.  The Browns have hit that bittersweet time in every family’s life when the children are grown, ready to leave the nest.  Mary and Henry Brown are wondering what is next?  The Brown’s routine gets shaken up when Paddington receives a letter from the Reverend Mother that runs the Home for Retired Bears in Peru where his Aunt Lucy has gone to live.  The Reverend Mother writes to tell Paddington that his foster mother has become secretive and withdrawn. Aunt Lucy desperately needs Paddington.

Paddington and the Browns decided to travel to Peru to visit Aunt Lucy.  A family holiday before Judy goes to college.  But when the Browns arrive in Peru, Aunt Lucy has gone missing. The Reverend Mother believes Aunt Lucy has gone off to find Ancient Incan Ruins that she had recently become consumed with. Paddington and the Browns embark on an adventure into the jungles of the Amazon, aided by a river boat captain and his daughter. Paddington and the Browns are looking to find Aunt Lucy and uncover the mystery that surrounds Aunt Lucy’s disappearence, and find her.

The first thing to remember when watching Paddington in Peru, is that you are watching a family movie.  The mystery isn’t supposed to be earth-shattering.  There are no shocking plot twists here. It’s all about the journey, and the journey is charming.

The animation and expressions of Paddington make him feel real in the film’s universe, and I was absolutely invested in animated Paddington as a real character.  How the animators make his eyes communicate such earnestness never ceases to amaze me.  Ben Whitshaw continues to deliver a stellar voice performance for Paddington to the point I can’t imagine anyone else sounding like him.  Emily Mortimer takes over the role of Mary Brown so seamlessly that I hadn’t even remembered that Mrs. Brown was played by Sally Hawkins in the previous two films. Antonio Banderas looked like he was having a ball, letting loose and playing up the morally questionable Hunter the riverboat captain (and all of his ancestors).

However, the award for the most stolen scenes goes to Olivia Coleman as the Reverend Mother.  Coleman really got the assignment.  She is a brilliant comedian. It is a blast watching her bring a family-friendly version of her comedic style to the film.

Not surprisingly, Paddington in Peru also hits you in the feels.  Whether it’s the theme of a person finding their place in the world, the story of immigration and its challenges, or the beauty of found-family, the Paddington story strikes on all notes. I knew exactly what was coming at the end.

It didn’t stop me from sniffling. What, no, I’m not crying.  You are.

Part of what made the film so fun is watching it with others.

With Paddington in Peru hitting streaming and Blu-ray I have a new film to add to my arsenal of film entertainment for family holiday get-togethers. Having seen it in the theater I heard the kids howl at the simple jokes, the physical comedy inspired by Buster Keaton and the Marx Brothers was great to see. It showed those routines still play with modern audiences.

For the adults in the room, there are easter eggs of film nerd culture. I was not expecting a nod to Werner Herzog. The best family entertainment hits on all levels for both kids and adults.

Extras include featurettes, a sing-along and craft projects.

So, pop up some popcorn, gather your movie family, and snuggle in for a sweet, fun time.