His Movie Review: Paddington (2014)

Why he watched it: Had received positive reviews

His rating: 2 out of 5 stars

His review: I appreciate films that are able to reach different audiences, go beyond genre expectations. The Muppets and Pixar movies, for example, are family films with a quirky, thoughtful humor that bring in adults. Finding Memo is sweet and charming and funny for any viewer.

I came into Paddington thinking it was in the same vein, based on reviews I’d read. Unfortunately, it didn’t reach that point. I’ve not read any of the books on which this movie is based, so I can’t evaluate how well it captures the atmosphere or characters. What I can evaluate is how I responded to this film, and it didn’t work for me.

Much of Paddington‘s humor comes from Paddington, the bear, getting himself into trouble as he bumbles around unfamiliar London. Coming from the jungle, he doesn’t know tape or indoor plumbing, for example, and in different scenes sets a kitchen on fire and floods a bathroom. I didn’t find this very funny. I could image a room full of kids loving it, but I don’t see adults enjoying it. At one point, Hugh Bonneville, the father of Paddington’s adoptive London family, dresses as a female janitor in order to find information on Paddington’s past. Not funny for me, but I’m sure young ones nwould love it.

He’s trouble, but his British family loves him and finds his bumbling as fun. All, that is, except for the father, a former adventurous spirit who became overprotective with his children. How Paddington gets him to loosen up is only character arc of the movie, and Bonneville does a nice job. The rest of the cast, including an over-the-top Nicole Kidman and a creepy Peter Capaldi, are serviceable and unremarkable. The best scene is when the family comes across a lost Paddington in the train station. Its charming how easily they incorporate a lost, talking bear into their lives, but even this scene devolves into Paddington making a big mess in the restaurant.

Pixar and The Muppets this is not. I can see it playing on DVD players on continual loops, amusing children and driving parents crazy. Watching it a second time would drive me crazy. Once was enough.