★★★
There’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment at the start of the new Paddington film, the third in the series and the first to bring the beloved bear back to his native Peru. The photo ephemera shows a framed photo canonizing the platinum jubilee reunion of Paddington and the late Queen Elizabeth II. It’s a nice nod but a striking marker of how much the world has changed since our last visit to 32 Windsor Gardens. Five prime ministers, a new monarch, a global pandemic, TikTok, Brexit… all this since the release of Paddington 2. It’s overwhelming. To that end, a return to marmalade sandwiches and a more comprehensible understanding of quintessential Britishness can’t help but feel reassuring.
And yet even the London of Messrs Brown, Gruber and Buchanan cannot withstand the tides of change. A flashback to Paddington’s Peruvian youth must take place without Uncle Pastuzo, due to the death of Michael Gambon since the last film, while the producers’ failure to convince Sally Hawkins to return necessitates the recasting of Mrs. Brown . For what it’s worth, an ominous Emily Mortimer proves a flawless replacement.
Indeed, the movements behind the camera are even more shocking. After co-writing and directing films one and two, Paul King’s departure – to direct last year’s Wonka – is surprisingly noticeable. Paddington in Peru is a lovely little film but it’s clear that King has taken with him the zest, energy and humor of his work. A screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont does its best but can’t escape a facsimile feel in its absence.
That’s not to say the film isn’t gently funny. There’s slapstick sprinkled throughout and competent character work from Integration stars Olivia Coleman and Antonio Banderas, each entering via the disguise box. The problem has more to do with the bear’s legitimate expectation of improvement. That and a sense of the film, now in the hands of theatrically fresh director Dougal Wilson, closer to conventions than before. With a narrative flow reminiscent of Disney Jungle cruise or the Dora the Explorer movie, Paddington 3 perfectly aligned steps. Lost is the quaint chocolate box individuality of King’s vision, left behind in a London you will miss. From international relocation to themes of belonging and drifting, you’ve seen it before. This is the third manual.
Yet there are glimmers of inspiration. The fact that Aunt Lucy’s (Imelda Staunton) home for retired bears is run by musical nuns can only be a contribution from King. Certainly, this was the gist of a story that opens with the news of Aunt Lucy’s peculiar turn of events. Warned, by Coleman’s Reverend Mother, of the deterioration and obsessive behavior, Paddington picks up the Browns for a transatlantic race to the rescue. Their arrival, however, is greeted by an empty cabin. Aunt Lucy, it seems, couldn’t wait for her nephew before she set out in search of the Eldorado – not the local chicken restaurant.
Naturally, the plot is little more than a metaphor for each character’s search for self within the impenetrable knot of Amazonian jungle leaves. A mix of personal arcs – from Mr. Brown’s (Hugh Bonneville) acceptance of risk to local conquistador Hunter Cabot’s (Banderas) battle with a generational curse – keeps things spirited, even if they don’t find not enough meat to keep everyone in the ensemble entertained. . Julie Walters’ Mrs. Bird might as well have stayed put, while the not-so-young Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) barely register. They are all pawns for the reward. Classic trio.
Maybe Paddington 2 did the series a disservice by raising such high expectations. Certainly, the worldwide adoration felt towards the film has equated Francis Ford Coppola’s entry into the ranks of the film Godfather II. Not unduly. Paddington in Peru is not as far from a disgrace as it was The Godfather III but will feel it with the nostalgia of moms and dads. Younger, less world-weary, viewers will not share the sigh. Plus, any time spent bathing in the gentle vocal charms of Ben Whishaw will always offer some comfort. It’s a very comfortable film.
T.S.