Paddington (2014) Dir: Paul King
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'Paddington Bear' is an iconic piece of British pop culture, and has been for decades. This 2014 family adventure, based on the bear, can be considered a love letter to a character that has become synonymous with Great Britain.
Director Paul King curates a delightfully wholesome story with a great many whimsical and hilarious moments.
I found myself warmed by the positivity of the piece and how easy it was to enjoy this adventure. At just 95 minutes, it's a rather quick watch too, which makes it perfect for a pick-me-up movie.
Ben Whishaw provides the voice of the iconic bear, and for what's it worth, I think he does a marvellous job. He captures the heartwarming essence of the character perfectly, and leans into the more goofy aspects too, when the role requires it.
Hugh Bonnerville is great at playing that quintessential bumbling Englishman who tries his best despite his own weaknesses, and that is essentially what he does here too. He shows some really solid acting, which helps his character's development be that much more effective.
Nicole Kidman is another who was really enjoyable in her role, and I have to say I think she was a very good casting choice. She played both the serious and silly sides of her character wonderfully well.
Sally Hawkins is truly heartwarming and endearing in her supporting role. My only complaint would be that she didn't have more screentime - she really suited this role.
Julie Walters must have had so much fun here, it certainly came across in her performance, which is brilliantly entertaining. She was one of the funniest characters, which is saying a lot, with such an enjoyable cast.
I'd also like to mention a raft of other noteworthy inclusions; Madeleine Harris, Simon Farnaby, Peter Capaldi, Samuel Joslin, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Catherine Shepherd, Kayvan Novak, Matt Lucas and Matt King.
Overall, this is a lovely film with likeable characters, a functioning story and lots of humour for children to enjoy. I found it to be a bundle of fun, and immediately wanted to watch the sequel.
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