'Paddington' an Endearing 1990s-Style Film (IANS Movie Review)
Jan 17,2015
Film: "Paddington"; Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Samuel Joslin, Madeleine Harris, Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters and Peter Capaldi; Voiceovers by: Ben Whishaw, Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton; Director: Paul King; Rating: ***
"Paddington" is a light-hearted adventure film for children with engaging twists and turns. The gentle moments intersped wigh the cute action scenes have a universal appeal.
Director Paul King's "Paddington" is based on the long-running children's book series from renowned author Michael Bond, which was first published in 1958. With a cleverly embellished back story which in fact is an acknowledged, immigration allegory, the director has skillfully updated the tale while remaining faithful to the original book.
"Paddington" is the story of a young orphan, stowaway, bear on a boat from 'Darkest Peru' who lands up in London seeking to be adopted by a home, carrying a suitcase and a label round his neck.
While at the railway station, he discovers that London and its people are not what he had imagined to be. He is initially taken aback with their indifference. He soon finds the Brown family who is willing to take him in and look after him, albeit for just a little while. The kind-hearted Mrs. Brown (Sally Hawkins), a children's book illustrator who has a soft corner for the bear, names him after the station. She coaxes Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville), her concerned insurance-assessor husband and kids; the sulky teen Judy (Madeleine Harris) and tween geek Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), to let Paddington move in with them and their elderly relative Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters) until he finds an alternate accomadation. This is when everyone's adventure begins.
Outgoing and adorable, Paddington has an innocent way about him when he inadvertently gets into trouble. He reminds you of a child learning new things. And this is evident from his first adventure itself when he accidentally catches a pickpocket and ends up as a celebrity on his first outing in London.
The film caters to children and would be enjoyed by adults alike. It is a family film with several messages and one of the messages is that families are not just made up by the people who are related to us, but friends and even animals can be a part of our family. This is beautifully correlated with, "In London everyone is different and they all fit in" and "Family stick together."
With the right intonation, Ben Whishaw's voice suits Paddington to perfection. Equally convincing are Imelda Staunton and Michael Gambon as Paddington's Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo.
On the performance front, the actors slip into their roles with apt precision except for Nicole Kidman. She portrays the antagonist, taxidermist Millicent, who is determined to add Paddington to her collection of stuffed animals. With garish outfits and a bit over the top performance, she is a laugh.
The gags, visual puns and imaginative framing devices along with scene transitions that are especially used for flashbacks, are so reminiscent of the 1990s style, that the film offers a preserving sense of easygoing sweetness.
Visually, there is perfect combination of computer generated images and live-action which results in a very real and life-like drama that is pleasing to all.
Top Stories
Emraan Hashmi’s Iconic Heartbreak Song: Pakistani Singer Who Shot to Fame With This Rock Hit
Aug 18,2026
Emraan Hashmi has long been associated with memorable romantic and heartbreak songs. Over the years, the music of his films has produced several tracks that continue to feature prominently on listeners’ playlists.One such song is “Lambi Judai” from the 2008 film J
Shatrughan Sinha on Sonakshi Sinha Trolling: Accuses BJP IT Cell, Opens Up on Her Political Entry
Aug 18,2026
Veteran actor and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shatrughan Sinha has spoken out over the social media trolling faced by his daughter, actor Sonakshi Sinha.In an interview with ABP News, Shatrughan addressed criticism of Sonakshi's public support for student protests and also res
Batwara 1947 Review: Sunny Deol Shines in a Powerful and Emotional Partition Drama
Aug 14,2026
Batwara 1947 Movie Review: When director Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol reunite, expectations are bound to be high. After memorable collaborations such as Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, the duo returns with Batwara 1947, a Partition-era drama that takes a noticeably different route.R
‘Ramayana’: ‘Mahabharat’ Actor Gajendra Chauhan Reacts to Ranbir Kapoor’s Trailer, “I Wasn’t Impressed”
Aug 12,2026
Nitesh Tiwari's much-awaited ‘Ramayana’ has generated considerable buzz following the release of its trailer. While the trailer has received mixed reactions, actor Gajendra Chauhan, best known for playing Yudhishthira in B.R. Chopra's iconic Mahabharat, has now shared his opi
Urmila Matondkar’s Ex-Husband Mohsin Akhtar Mir Marries Again; Actress Takes a Dig at Second Wedding
Aug 12,2026
Urmila Matondkar is once again making headlines, this time because of a cryptic social media post following a post shared by her ex-husband Mohsin Akhtar Mir about his second wife, Nida Bhat.The actress, who generally keeps her personal life private, shared a message on Instagram that quic
Munna Bhaiya Returns in ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’: Divyenndu Says, “It Was a Mistake, I Am Immortal”
Aug 12,2026
Fans are eagerly awaiting ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, and one of the biggest talking points is Divyenndu’s return as Munna Bhaiya. The character died in the second season of the popular series, making his comeback one of the film’s biggest surprises.Divyenndu on Munna Bh
Suniel Shetty Birthday: Ajay Devgn Shares Old Photo, Jackie Shroff and Bollywood Stars Wish ‘Anna’
Aug 11,2026
Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty is celebrating his 65th birthday today, and wishes have been pouring in from family, friends and fellow actors.On the special occasion, Ajay Devgn shared a throwback picture featuring Suniel from their 1994 film Dilwale, while Jackie Shroff also posted a speci
Nikita Rawal on Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram: Actress Slams ‘Ramayana’ Casting, Demands Apology
Aug 05,2026
Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming epic Ramayana has sparked fresh discussion even before its release. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Mata Sita and Yash as Ravana. Now, actress Nikita Rawal has questioned Ranbir Kapoor's casting as Lord Ram, referring to an old comment by
Entertainment News
Suniel Shetty Birthday: Ajay D
Aug 11,2026
Pradeep Rawat Funeral: Aamir K
Aug 05,2026
Nikita Rawal on Ranbir Kapoor
Aug 05,2026
Bhumi Pednekar: Trolled over h
Aug 03,2026
Salman Khan Recalls Jail Days
Aug 03,2026