Paddington 2: Better Than the Original and Great Family Fun

Movie Review: Paddington 2 (2017)
Version: Cable TV rental

If you enjoyed Paddington (2014), you should love Paddington 2, the return of everyone's favorite Peruvian bear become Londonite. I actually liked Paddington 2 better than the original. It was original, it was imaginative, it was full of comical situations with very interesting characters, and it starred a most interesting bear who almost everyone likes, including a brood of criminals in a London prison who can't resist his innocent charms.

It seems Paddinton Bear, now Paddington Brown since he has been adopted by the Brown family, has been looking for a gift for his 100-year-old Aunt Lucy back in the rain forest of Peru. He goes to the antique store, where he finds a pop-up book that makes the perfect gift. Except he tells the wrong person about the book, a nascent actor looking for clues to a lost treasure which are given in the book. When Paddington is mistaken for the actor who steals the book in a break-in, he is sent to prison, where he meets the brood of misfit criminals, who come to like him and want to help him clear his name. Meanwhile, the Brown family also set out to prove Paddington's innocence.

Paddington and his group of prison mates break out to find the book and capture the man who framed Paddington, Close on their heels are the Brown family, who are also close on the bad guy's trail. All make for a fun frolic in Paddington's new London environment as he prepares to celebrate Aunt Lucy's very exceptional birthday. Oh, dear -- wrong bear, that's Pooh.

The great cast from the original Paddington returns, with the addition of the lovable rascal Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buchanan, the eccentric actor. Among the cast are Ben Whishaw who voices Paddington; Sally Hawkins  is the mother, Mary Brown; Hugh Bonneville plays the father, Henry Brown; Julie Walters portrays Mrs Bird, the mother-in-law; and Jim Broadbent is Mr Gruber, the store owner. And there is a host of entertaining actors portraying the prison crew to add the perfect touch of fun.

Do see Paddington 2. It's great family fun.