tek's rating:

Paddington 2 (PG)
IMDb; Paddington Bear Wiki; Rotten Tomatoes; StudioCanal; TV Tropes; Warner Bros.; Wikipedia
streaming sites: Amazon; Google Play; Hulu; iTunes; Movies Anywhere; Vudu; YouTube

This is the sequel to Paddington. It came out in 2017, but I didn't see it until 2022. I think it did slightly better critically than the first movie, but that movie did very well critically, itself. By the time I watched the second movie, about 4 years after I watched the first, it's impossible for me to remember the first one well enough to be sure which film I liked better, even though I've rated this one lower than I did the first one. Either way, I still think it's pretty good, and any dip in my appreciation might easily be attributed to depression and anxiety that these days stay with me even when I'm enjoying something.

Anyway, Paddington is happily living with the Brown family (he's even adopted their last name, which I don't remember whether he'd done in the first film or not). He's also well-liked by everyone in his neighborhood, except Mr. Curry. Paddington wants to find a birthday present for his Aunt Lucy, and when Mr. Gruber shows him an old pop-up book with a bunch of London landmarks, he thinks it would be perfect for Lucy. Unfortunately, he can't afford it, so he gets a job. His first one doesn't work out, but he does better as a self-employed window washer. Before he can buy the book, however, it's stolen by Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), a former famous theatre actor who has fallen on hard(ish) times. Phoenix wants the book because it contains clues to finding a hidden treasure, which no one else knew about. Paddington chases the thief (who is in disguise), but ends up being arrested for the theft, himself. In prison he quickly earns the ire of his fellow prisoners, but subsequently wins them over, especially the gruffest prisoner of all, a cook named Nuckles McGinty. (Wikipedia says his name is spelled Knuckles, which makes more sense, but I could swear I saw it written in the film without the 'K'. I could be mistaken.) Meanwhile, the Browns investigate the crime, and try to figure out who the real thief was. Judy also begins printing her own newspaper, with which she tries to help exonerate Paddington.

Well, that's all I want to reveal of the plot. But it's an interesting story, with a happy ending. And I found most of the movie fairly amusing. Oh, and there's a cameo by Joanna Lumley, playing Phoenix's agent, Felicity. And that's all I can think to say.


family index