Review: Paddington 2

Paddington 2, the sequel to the 2014 live action film based on Michael Bond's hugely popular children's books, may be more of the same but when the same is so charming and delightful then, by all means, let's have more of it. Watching the irresistible sequel is akin to being awash in a blanket of love, kindness and - yes, why not - marmalade.

It's been several years since the polite but plucky Paddington (voiced to perfection by Ben Whishaw) was taken in by the Brown family. Paddington has settled in nicely, beloved by all their neighbours save for the curmudgeonly Mr. Curry (Peter Capaldi), and continuing to write updates about himself and the Browns to his beloved Aunt Lucy. Matriarch Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins) is training to swim the English Channel, daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) has started her own newspaper using an old printing press, son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) has decided to start calling himself J-Dog, and patriarch Henry (Hugh Bonneville) is in the midst of a mid-life crisis after not receiving the work promotion he had expected. Nevertheless, despite these niggles, life is jolly for the family.

Trouble, both major and minor, is just around the corner when Paddington decides to get a job so he can save money to buy an antique pop-up book for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday. However, the "popping book," as kindly Mr. Gruber (Jim Broadbent) describes it, contains more than just pop-up scenes of various London landmarks. It actually features clues which leads to a hidden treasure. Paddington, naturally, doesn't know this but neighbour Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) certainly does. A faded and vainglorious actor, Buchanan provides damning testimony when Paddington is unjustly accused of breaking into Mr. Gruber's antique shop and stealing the popping book.

Thus, our ursine hero finds himself incarcerated with the likes of Nuckles McGinty (Brendan Gleeson), the prison cook who sends shivers down all the inmates' spines but who, like everyone else, is soon won over by Paddington's insistence on looking for the good in everyone. (Witnessing Nuckles and the other criminals' hardened natures melt under Paddington's influence is a particular pleasure.) Meanwhile, the Browns are doing their best to bring to light the true culprit, Buchanan, before it's too late.

As with the original, the sequel's quaintness at no point ever dips into the cloying. It also retains its wholly British flavour, its influences ranging from the BBC's Paddington TV sketches of the 1970s to music hall to the Ealing comedies with more than a dash of Wes Anderson, Mel Brooks, and Busby Berkeley thrown in for good measure. The production design by Gary Williamson is as glorious as ever - day-glo sets and costumes, richly detailed set pieces, and one especially lovely sequence that finds the pop-up book coming to life. Animation and digital teams deserve kudos for maintaining and, at times, surpassing the high standards set by the original.

A plethora of British actors deliver wonderful performances and the likes of Joanna Lumley, Richard Ayoade, and Tom Conti turn in cracking cameos. Best of all is Grant, clearly having the time of his life and putting forth one of the most engaged and superb performances of his career. Thoroughly enchanting from start to finish (and most definitely stay for the finish!), Paddington 2 once again proves that home is where the heart is and that kindness makes the world go around.

Paddington 2

Directed by: Paul King

Written by: Paul King, Simon Farnaby; based on the books by Michael Bond

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Peter Capaldi, Imelda Staunton, Michael Gambon, Joanna Lumley, Ben Miller, Noah Taylor, Tom Conti, Richard Ayoade, Eileen Atkins