Paddington is a good family film, one both adults and children can enjoy for different, yet similar ways. Quality live-action family films have become a rarity in modern cinema; at some point during the mid-2000s, family films became primarily associated with animation made by the likes of DreamWorks and Pixar. Live-action became split between adult, teen, and gimmicky kid’s films (the ones which engage 7 year olds while torturing their adult guardians). Paddington proves the genre’s far from dead however, along with being a good reminder of what families have been missing. It’s a well-made film full of funny moments, sad moments, and most importantly, touching moments.
One of Paddington’s finest aspects is its large variety of humor; jokes range from charming to silly to hidden innuendos only adults would get (such as the explorer naming Paddington’s uncle after “an exotic male boxer I met in a bar”). Another humorous scene involves Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) trying to lessen the frightful image of an orphanage by calling it an “institution for children, whose parents sadly disappeared”—the scene then cuts to a scary building with a sign reading Institution for Children whose Parents Sadly Disappeared. Paddington is full of classic slapstick humor, mostly involving our title bear’s reactions (and consequences) to his fish out of water environment. The slapstick serves as mostly irrelevant, yet entertaining filler, save for one scene where it unintentionally saves Paddington from the main antagonist (Nicole Kidman).
Paddington’s comedy has an incredibly charming, old-fashioned feel to it, as if made from an earlier decade—the feeling is quite refreshing, allowing even the more clichéd jokes to bring some cheer. Of course amidst the film’s comedy is its heart and soul between Paddington and the Brown family. Going along with its past decade atmosphere is the film’s treatment of Paddington’s bear status—Paddington tactfully requires its audience to not only accept talking bears, but also the mild to nonchalant reactions London’s populace gives towards them. Such fantasy is a rare breed seldom seen in modern day cinema, yet works splendidly within the film’s intentions. Paddington isn’t about the marvels of a talking intellectual bear, but rather about a talking intellectual bear searching for a place to call home after losing everything. By the film’s conclusion, Paddington (and I honestly doubt this is a spoiler for anyone) finds a loving home with the Brown family, while the Browns find a better perspective on life thanks to their new family member; a heartfelt conclusion to a heartfelt film, full of fun and comedy and a bit of magic that’s been lacking from modern day cinema.