The Very Bearable Weight of Being “Paddington 2”

Nick Cage (Nicolas Cage): Can you stop stalling and answer the question? What is your third favorite movie of all time?

Javi Gutierrrez (Pedro Pascal): [beat] Paddington 2.

…. I cried through the entire thing. It made me want to be a better man.

- from “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”

I am here to corroborate and support Javi’s view (and later, Nick Cage…and from what I am led to believe, Nic Cage’s, too). 

I heard remarkable things about “Paddington 2” when it was released, but was not in the country when it came out and it was gone from theaters on my return. Excuses, excuses. It’s been on streaming for a while but is now in theatrical re-release and frankly, it is a joy to behold. Unlike Javi, I didn’t cry through the entire thing, but I did get misty-eyed at the denouement. 

In a world of cynical cash grabs, particularly when it comes to kid’s programming, “Paddington 2” is a slice of genuine, authentic, and smart without being snarky good hearted warmth. It helps if you have voice acting from Ben Whishaw as Paddington, Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy, and Michael Gambon as Uncle Pastuzo. It should go without saying that the live action cast is remarkable with (deep breath) Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Tom Conti, Peter Capaldi, Richard Ayoade, Joanne Lumley, and Brendan Gleeson. That’s just the big names; there is a short list of some of the UK’s best character actors sprinkled throughout. 

Paul King, the genius behind “The Mighty Boosh” directed and co-scripted the film (with Simon Farnaby - who shows up in a pretty funny cameo as a security guard at St. Paul’s Cathedral), with additional material provided by Mark Burton (“Shaun the Sheep” and its sequels, “Madagascar” and its follow-ups, and yes, “WALLACE AND GROMIT”!!! Oh! And “Chicken Run”!!!) Jon Croker (who has come up through the ranks from production and director’s assistant on “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” to story editor on an impressive collection of movies including “The Woman in Black” and “Berberian Sound Studio”), and Will Smith (no, not our Will Smith - though he was a main writer on “Veep”). The movie is dedicated to Paddington’s creator (“for our friend”) Michael Bond, who passed away in 2017 at 91 and whose legacy is firmly cemented with what I hope is a forever supply of orange marmalade and genuine decency. And wit.

If you haven’t read any of the Paddington stories, please be my guest.

That brings me right away to a film like this really honoring and filling out one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature. Sure, there are updated references, of necessity, but they feel organic and the film never loses sight of themes of kindness without being wimpy or cloying. That’s largely because every character is fully realized and the performances are utter joys to watch. 

A brief recap is that Paddington wants to buy a special present for Aunt Lucy, who is turning one hundred (in bear years) and he has found the perfect gift in an antique pop-up book in Mr. Gruber’s (Jim Broadbent) shop. Mr. Gruber tells Paddington that it’s pretty expensive but he puts it on hold for Paddington as our little ursine friend decides he’ll have to get a job. His first attempt is as an assistant at a barber shop where - left in the shop alone - he is confronted by an imperious judge played by the inestimable Tom Conti. Through a series of well orchestrated mishaps, Paddington shaves a clear path through the judge’s hair and somewhat decimates the barber shop. His next venture is far more successful as he starts his own business as a window washer which turns out to be lucrative enough that he is able to set aside a sum toward the pop-up book. 

We are also privy to the trials of Paddington’s adoptive family, the Browns. Patriarch Henry (Hugh Bonneville, more grounded and cuddlier than Lord Grantham) has been passed over for a promotion at his insurance company and is distracted by the onset of a mild midlife crisis; his wife Mary (Sally Hawkins, adding another remarkable turn to her collection - keep in mind that she was also in del Toro’s “The Shape of Water”, released in the same year and she has been turning in solid work for more than twenty years) wants to swim the English Channel, their son Jonathan is a whiz at engineering, mechanics, and upon embarking on adolescence, being cool (if I have a knock, it’s a kind of cheesy set-up he’s stuck with, but not fatal; Samuel Joslin nails the whole teenager thing without being obnoxious), daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) is a determined young journalist self-publishing her own newspaper. You read that right: newspaper. Cell phones don’t exist in this world, which is actually a relief. I imagine parents had a fun time explaining answering machines and pay phones to kids. The clan is rounded out by Mrs. Bird, Julie Walters just freaking owning it (I mean, come on, for the past forty years, she’s never phoned it in…go back and watch “Educating Rita” and get back to me) as an observant, wry Scotswoman whose relation to the family I’m not clear on. Maybe she’s Mary’s mother? Doesn’t matter: I love this family.

The Browns head out to a traveling fair on opening night where the unctuous formerly-great -actor-who-now-works-in-dog-food-commercials Phoenix Buchanan. As Buchanan, Hugh Grant chews scenery and digs into playing another greasy, oily, egomaniac. I am loving late period Hugh Grant these days. More often than not, I feel the rogues he plays really do think they’re the smartest guys in the room, but when the falls come - as they inevitably do - they sure don’t seem to see ‘em coming or recognize the deep doo their in when the poo hits the fan. Buchanan is no exception, but Grant’s read on the character is sympathetic enough that you don’t feel too unkindly toward him by movie’s end. Having said that, he is a dick.

At the fair, Buchanan calls on Paddington from the crowd to help him launch the fireworks and over conversation, the actor learns that the bear knows about the whereabouts of the pop-up which contains within it directions to a treasure of great value. In short order, Buchanan, in disguise, breaks into Mr. Gruber’s shop which Paddington witnesses and tries to stop and after a chase that wouldn’t be out of place in a Wallace and Gromit or “Chicken Run” (though this is CGI and not stop action animation), Buchanan vanishes in a puff of smoke theatrics and Paddington is arrested for robbery and later tried and sentenced to ten years in prison, the presiding judge being Tom Conti.

It’s the rawest of raw deals and reinforces that whatever England we’re in, it’s not one where the burden of proof falls on the Crown. The book is not found in Paddington’s possession, everyone knows he didn’t do it except for Mr. Curry (played with a special relish of bigotry by Peter Capaldi; yeah, to me he’s more of a villain than Buchanan), who plays up how unwanted Paddington is in the neighborhood. I have to pause to note that one wonders about Curry; he is very much a Karen living in a multicultural neighborhood but seems to be hugely prejudiced against well-spoken, polite bears. I don’t like the guy. Last, when called to the stand, Phoenix Buchanan expresses his sorrow that he did not see the real thief as described by Paddington. 

At this point, my stunted adult ire was really hoping that the Browns would appeal and hire a genuinely sharp defense attorney, uh, barrister, who would call the state out on its bullshit, have restitution and apology made toward Paddington, and get the arresting officer fired and the judge censured for abuse of office. However, as satisfying as that might be, the story wisely takes us into the prison and we see Paddington win over the toughest, scariest inmate who just happens to be the chef; Knuckles McGinty played by Brendan Gleeson having as much a field day with his role as Grant is with Buchanan. During lunch, Paddington finds the food inedible and against the warnings of his fellow inmates, approaches Knuckles to express his discontent and offer suggestions. After a little tense interaction, Paddington accidentally stuffs Knuckles’ mouth with one of his apparently magical and delicious orange marmalade sandwiches. Won over by the sandwich and with the promise that Paddington will make more for tomorrow’s mess, Knuckles announces that Paddington is under his protection and woe to anyone who would harm a hair of his fur.

The next morning, Knuckles bullies Paddington into making the marmalade by himself until Paddington grows dark and when Knuckles insults Aunt Lucy (Paddington does refer to her a lot) for the merest split second, we have the sense that Paddington is going to call forth the Vengeance of the Bear and visit it on Knuckles, who is understandably unnerved. In short order, Paddington returns to his calm and placid visage and explains that it is a trick that Aunt Lucy taught him. Nevertheless, she instilled in Paddington that “If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right.”

The marmalade is a hit and before long, the prisoners are volunteering other recipes and in one of the tightest and colorful montages in a film of this sort, the mess hall and cell block are transformed with round tables with table cloths and flower boxes along the railings. Even the warden gets in on the action by reading bedtime stories over the intercom before lights out.

In the meantime, the Browns have been moving on with their own investigation in trying to find the real thief. By now, Buchanan has worked out that each of the London landmarks featured in the book contains a clue to finding the treasure. Using a series of disguises, including being the most beautiful nun Farnaby’s security guard has ever seen, Buchanan gathers the clues as Judy follows up on each odd break-in and sighting and drawing up portraits based on descriptions of each of these individuals.

During a visitation, the Browns tell Paddington what they’re doing and meet his new friends. Henry is less than kind in his assessment of them (“just look at them! You can’t trust them!” he tells Mary and the assembled family in front of Knuckles and the gang) but Knuckles takes it in stride and after looking at the drawings says he has no idea who these people may be. 

Later, after lights out, Knuckles and a couple of the other guys let Paddington know that they have a plan hatched to break out, find the real thief, and clear Paddington’s name. Paddington declines since that’s something Aunt Lucy would not approve of and Knuckles emphasizes that  Paddington’s delay in taking the initiative will just mean that eventually the Browns will lose interest in working to clear him and as happens with the incarcerated, will sooner or later forget Paddington altogether. The bear says, no, that’s not who the Browns are; they would never abandon him.

Nor do they. After meeting with Madam Kozlova who has the complete story of the fair and Madame Dubois, who was the original owner of the book and who met her end by sabotage from Phoenix Buchanan’s grandfather(!), the Browns conclude Buchanan has been using disguises to obtain what he needs by visiting the dozen sites portrayed in the book. Well, all of the Birds except Henry. Sorry, Hugh Bonneville, but you do wind up playing nice, sometimes dimmer than they need to be guys.

The are able to confirm this but not being able to find the book, can’t get the police to free Paddington and all this happens during visitation hours. With the Browns a no-show, Paddington decides to escape with Knuckles, Phibs (Noah Taylor who I almost mistook for Nick Cave), and The Professor. In another montage that wouldn’t be out of a Wes Anderson movie, they make their way to the top of the gun tower of the prison and fly away in a homemade gas balloon. Upon landing, they make their way to a plane by which to flee the country in a betrayal of Paddington’s trust in them wanting to help clear his name. Knuckles said he if he had told him the truth, Paddington wouldn’t have come, but the idea is that they’ll flee to another land and manufacture and sell the marmalade and retire rich. Dejected and forlorn, Paddington leaves.

Wandering about this London Town, he finds a beat-up pay phone and calls the Browns who are out and leaving a message on the answering machine that truncates his message, tells them he’s escaped and he just wants to say good-bye. As he’s walking away, he hears the phone ring (star 69? Kids, ask your parents…or grandparents?) and they tell him that they know Buchanan’s whereabouts - who by now has the book in his possession - and they all plan on convening at - yep - Paddington Station. They know that the key to the treasure is the fair and the fair is leaving town.

A merry chase ensues on one train as Paddington shadows Buchanan to a car where the traveling fair’s props are stored and on a passenger train traveling on parallel tracks, the Browns and Mrs. Bird follow in pursuit, as well. 

Before you can say, “the jig is up, creep!”, Buchanan has Paddington trapped in the last car of the train he’s on and the Henry, Mary, Judy, and Mrs. Brown have boarded Buchanan’s train. Jonathan has been driving the passenger train (with, I might add, Conti’s judge in the dining car, traveling with his wife who seems to wear the pants in the relationship) and while you can surmise that the Browns subdue Buchanan, Paddington’s runaway car has landed in a river. 

Judy dives from the bridge where everything has come to a head and just as it seems all is lost - Paddington is locked in the freight car with not enough room to get out - we hear the sound of the prop plane landing on the water and those goodhearted guys Knuckles and company come to the rescue.

I know, I know. This neither a brief recap nor is it free of spoilers. However, I cannot convey the grace notes and magic in the dialog and characters to really tell you how charming this film is. The final scene is as sweet an ending as you could hope for, and that I will not spoil. 

Sure, Paddington clemency and an apology from the police (yeah, and what about from the Crown?), justice is served by the Judge with Buchanan in stir for ten years, and Knuckles and the gang are pardoned. The end credits shows us the next chapters in everyone’s lives but the capper is Phoenix Buchanan having organized the inmates into a song and dance company performing Sondheim’s “Rain on the Roof”. It’s deliriously good. 

Erik Wilson’s cinematography serves the plot and the characters well, striking a solid balance between the kinetic and stillness that each scene requires. He has a sure eye for composition and if you haven’t seen “Pumpkinhead”, well, check that and “The Electrical Life of Christopher Wren” to get an idea of how underrated this guy is.

“Paddington 2” is a real find. It’s a treasure that I wish more adults would see to be reminded of what being decent and measured in your judgements is about. And it’s not sappy. It truly isn’t. Kindness isn’t presented as some weakness; it’s quite simply the best option we have for getting on with one another.

NIck Cage: Paddington 2 is incredible.

Javi Gutierrez: I f***king told you.

P.S. 

For the record, Nic Cage really does like “Paddington 2” and if you can’t trust Nic Cage, who can you trust?