Paddington in Peru: Stay Golden Marmalade Bear
One of the few things I take seriously in this life is Paddington the Bear. And although some will question if my affinity for the very polite bear is genuine or not, I have multiple text chains of friends sending me Paddington related content to prove otherwise. Sure I wasn’t very familiar with the Paddington books growing up, but I did complete a slight copy edit on the Wikipedia page for Paddington 2 three years back, which I think amounts to something. But today is not about the masterpiece that is Paddington 2, it's about Paddington in Peru, with very limited spoilers in case you haven’t yet watched it for yourself.
For some, Paddington's visit to Peru may come as a shock. They may even find themselves asking, “Why would this English bear even be in Peru?”
But all my real Paddington-heads out there know that Paddington is not from England, but he instead immigrated from Peru. This is not a story of a random vacation, but instead one of homecoming and self discovery. This is Paddington reconnecting with his homeland for the first time in what we can only assume is 10 years since the first film was released. Of course Aunt Lucy visited him in Paddington 2, but this is the first we get to see the Home for Retired Bears, where she resides.
Overall this was a good watch. It gives you everything you’d be looking for in a Paddington film. Even with a change in director and screenwriting team, it gave the essence of what we have seen in the previous films. Although I’m partial to the second, that didn't stop me from enjoying the third. I went in as removed as I could be, so it makes sense why the first 15 minutes confused me as Mrs. Brown no longer looked like Sally Hawkins and instead looked like Emily Mortimer. And after the first 20 minutes when I realized there was going to be no Aunt Viv joke, I just accepted it and went on my merry way. And as soon as Olivia Coleman’s musical number as the “Reverend Mother” started, I was completely on board.
These movies embrace change and development which makes them so delightful. The world loves Paddington and it’s wonderful to experience him interacting with new people. For example: Antonio Banderas as Hunter Cabot, an unsuccessful treasure hunter haunted by the ghosts of his ancestors (all played by him) who charters his boat for the Brown’s. It is a wonderful cast and brings the heartwarming quality you now expect for a Paddington film.
I love Paddington. It's why I found myself at a matinee showing on opening day. And after being entranced by Paddington’s hard stare, I realized that, although it’s not my favorite film, I still enjoyed it. I still smiled and laughed; I even thought about tearing up – which is saying something for me. If you're looking to watch Paddington 2, then I suggest just watching Paddington 2, but if you’re interested in seeing Paddington continue to evolve and deepen his understanding of his own identity, then this is the movie for you. Paddington in Peru is just what happens next, and I will appreciate it for that… plus the cameo at the end.