This is what happens when the best of all the different departments of British filmmaking come together. From the cast, the script, the animation and everyone else involved with this project - this film (and the sequel to it) come together to create a flawless story for all ages.
Both this and the sequel are closely related and both must have been made either at the same time or with each other in mind.
Like Disney's 'Peter Pan', the story is mostly about the kids and the titular character... and both give a generous portion of the narrative to the characters of the parents. There are other parallels, too.
The voice of Ben Whishaw as Paddington is perfect and it's eerily similar to the sound of a softer Terence Stamp. At times you'd swear these two must have been born in the same room!
Hugh Bonneville is sublime as the harried father who takes parenthood very seriously, although not always in a direction his wife and kids approve of. (Lots of teens will relate to that!)
Sally Hawkins is simply brilliant as the wife who hasn't quite left her decadent '60s' years behind her... and who delivers the shortest lines ('Oooh, laminated!' & 'Crikey!') with phenomenal execution.
Lots of slapstick for the kids and plenty of Easter eggs for the bigger kids, too.
If you're a fan of the 'Richard Curtis' school of pathos, comedy, and storytelling, you'll love this.
Both this and the sequel are closely related and both must have been made either at the same time or with each other in mind.
Like Disney's 'Peter Pan', the story is mostly about the kids and the titular character... and both give a generous portion of the narrative to the characters of the parents. There are other parallels, too.
The voice of Ben Whishaw as Paddington is perfect and it's eerily similar to the sound of a softer Terence Stamp. At times you'd swear these two must have been born in the same room!
Hugh Bonneville is sublime as the harried father who takes parenthood very seriously, although not always in a direction his wife and kids approve of. (Lots of teens will relate to that!)
Sally Hawkins is simply brilliant as the wife who hasn't quite left her decadent '60s' years behind her... and who delivers the shortest lines ('Oooh, laminated!' & 'Crikey!') with phenomenal execution.
Lots of slapstick for the kids and plenty of Easter eggs for the bigger kids, too.
If you're a fan of the 'Richard Curtis' school of pathos, comedy, and storytelling, you'll love this.