‘I don’t do nothin’ for no one for nothin…’
This week I’ve been hypocritically teaching my Film Studies class about passive and active viewing, and how important it is to fully immerse yourself in the viewing experience. The kicker, of course, is that I am as prone to succumbing to a cat video on my phone as the next man. This is a habit that everyone should probably try and kick. Ideally, cinema is best enjoyed in a… well… cinema. But the next best thing would be in a darkened room with no distractions. The absolute worst way to watch a film is when you are exhausted, down-hearted and so busy that you have to watch said film over a number of sittings. Shamefully, this is how I ended up watching Paddington 2, so despite the fact that it is clearly a wonderful film, I didn’t receive the same warm glow from this film as I did from Paddington.
Things are seemingly going just swell for young Paddington Bear (Ben Whishaw). He is happily ensconced with the Brown family, he has become a fixture of the local neighbourhood, and he even (briefly) has a job in a hairdressers. Things take an unfortunate turn for the Peruvian bear when he is falsely accused of stealing a popup book that holds the key to a secret treasure map. Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), the real culprit, remains at large, and Paddington’s subsequent incarceration is not helped by the presence of Knuckles McGinty (Brendan Gleeson), a psychopathic prison chef. What follows is some lovely bear hi-jinks in the same vein as the first movie with a dazzling list of comedic cameos including but not limited to Tom Davis, Jamie Demetriou, Richard Ayoade and Sanjeev Bhaskar.
From the pen of comedy maestro Simon Farnaby and directed by Paul King, it’s no surprise that Paddington 2 is frequently laugh-out-loud funny and warmly sentimental. Hugh Grant’s performance received all the plaudits and he is admittedly great, but it is Gleeson who really steals the show here. The scenes in which he slowly comes around to the majesty of Paddington Bear are an utter joy to behold, and the Irish actor has an absolute blast playing against type as an apron clad maniac.
With Paddington 2, King and his cast have created a whole world for the little bear to inhabit, and it is a world that feels so special, so lived in, that it’s impossible to resist. I want to live on Paddington’s street, even if that would, by extension, require living in London. A place that inspires similar feelings in me as it does for Alan Partridge (he spells ‘London’ S-H-I-T-H-O-L-E, after all).
Anyway, north/south divide aside, Paddington 2 is another remarkable entry in what is a truly magnificent franchise, I just hope I’m in a better mood the next time I watch it.