Review of Paddington 2 (2017) by Kj P — 09 Mar 2018

I'm a sucker when it comes to feel-good movies, so please take this review with a grain of salt if those types of films are cheesy to you. When the first Paddington hit theatres a few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the filmmakers crafted a wonderful family flick for all ages. Yes, the premise is aimed at kids to give them life lessons, but the family aspect is what everyone else could relate to. Paddington 2 has recently hit the big screen and I can confidently say that if you enjoyed watching the first film, then you will equally like this sequel. It's a simple story about friends and family, but it's done in a very loving way that's almost too charming to ignore when you start watching it. Here's why you'll watching Paddington 2 with a smile on your face throughout the entire film if this is your cup of tea.

Paddington 2 follows this lovable bear as he has now settled into this town with the Brown family. The public has now accepted this talking bear as one of their own, and he's doing his utmost to get a job and become a true citizen. When trying to stop a jewel thief, he becomes wrapped up in an accusation that eventually has him thrown in prison. Wanting to put an end to this thief and make thing right in terms of showing everyone the truth, Paddington 2 is a showcase of a wrongfully accused being, which is quite relevant for today's climate. The fact that such a large aspect of this film revolves around someone being wrongfully accused is astounding to me, especially when it's a film for kids, first and foremost.

Although there's nothing award-worthy about the screenplays for these films, that's not to say they aren't well-written in their own right. For a kids movie, Paddington 2 delivers many surprises in terms of emotion and I found myself in tears in the final few moments. Not only is this movie emotional, but it also delivers quite the exciting final act that almost feels like a chase sequence from a big action film, just on a lower scale. With that said, emotions and excitement aren't the only things putting this movie on the pedestal it deserves, because the characterization of every secondary character shines off the screen as well.

Whether this little bear finds himself interacting with inmates at the prison he's being held at or simply conversing with his family when they come to visit, there's just something about the dialogue between characters that feels very authentic. The head chef's relationship with the titular character was easily my favourite portion of this film because he comes off as someone who would kill someone if he was in an R-rated movie, but when placed side-by-side with a younger person, his actions may be slightly different. I loved this aspect of the movie.

In the end, everything about the story in Paddington 2 is borrowed from crime films and family films alike. There isn't much else going on here, so your characters and overall execution of the story need to be absolutely perfect in order to impress, and does it ever. There will be far better movies to hit theatres this year, but if you're looking for a movie to make you feel good inside, I honestly can't recommend Paddington 2 enough. There's something about these two films and the way that director Paul King assembles them that just feels necessary to watch. It's a shame these movies don't receive much attention because they truly are great family flicks.