‘Paddington in Peru’ (review)

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 Nick 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 the 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 Peru 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 in the theater laugh.

Paddington in Peru sees Paddington settled 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.  She writes to tell Paddington that his foster mother has become secretive and withdrawn.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, to find Aunt Lucy and uncover the mystery that surrounds her disappearence.

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. 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 Whishaw 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 she 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 Colman as the Reverend Mother.  Colman 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 was seeing it with an audience full of families.  Hearing the kids howl at the simple jokes, the physical comedy inspired by Buster Keaton and the Marx Brothers was great to see. It shows those routines still play with modern audiences.  For the adults there are easter eggs of film nerd culture that had myself and other adults chuckling. I was not expecting a nod to Werner Herzog. The best family entertainment hits on all levels for both kids and adults, making it enjoyable for the whole family.

If you can, try to catch Paddington in Peru while it is in the theaters.  Having the shared experience with complete strangers, laughing all together, makes the film.

*   *  *   *   *
Produced by Rosie Alison
Story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, Mark Burton
Based on Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
Screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, James Lamont
Directed by Dougal Wilson
Starring Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent,
Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Ben Whishaw