Paddington in Peru

★★★★ | Marmeladen with charm

Paddington in Peru

Paddington in Peru is the third outing of Britain's most famous bear, and while it doesn't reach the heights of the second one, it's still a lovely and heartfelt film that anyone can enjoy.

Paddington receives his British passport and is officially a citizen of the United Kingdom. His friends and family all come to celebrate, even as Mr. Gruber, an expat himself, informs Paddington that life as a citizen of two countries can feel contradictory at times.

Meanwhile, Aunt Lucy, Paddington's relative back in Peru, goes missing. Without wasting a beat, Paddington and his adopted family, The Brown's, head off to search for her. The adventure takes them from the bustling streets of London to the deepest reaches of the Amazon, where Paddington learns the meaning of family and home.

I hope it doesn't sound like a backhanded compliment to say that Paddington in Peru isn't a demanding or complicated movie. It isn't, but that's part of the charm. This is a simple story told with grace, subtlety, and love. It is accessible to everyone in a way that makes it profound. Part of Paddington's charm, be that in the books or films, is that it says out loud the things we take for granted.

As with the previous films, everyone involved has come to play, and they bring their A-game to the party. At this point, there's no question that Paddington exists. He is like The Muppets and lives on a higher plane of reality. Not once do we consider that the cast is speaking to a tennis ball on set. No, it is Paddington, and he is as real on screen as he is in our hearts.

A lot of that is thanks to the fantastic Ben Whishaw, who voices Paddington. He's the glue that holds the film together. Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer are delightful as Henry and Mary Brown, and they bring genuine pathos to the whimsical story.

Visiting stars Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman are equally hysterical as Hunter Cabot and The Reverend Mother, respectively. Banderas, in particular, gets to have fun as he plays multiple figures from Cabbot's family tree. For older film fans, it's here that Paddington in Peru surprises even further, as the filmmakers visit and riff on classic Werner Herzog films more than once.

The final act goes a bit off the rails into hectic slapstick territory, but that's almost to be expected. It isn't as wild as the George Miller -inspired finale of the second film, but it has its moments. Yet I did feel the length by the end, something that didn't happen with the prior films.

Nonetheless, this is a wonderful finale to Paddington's story, if it is the end. We learn life-lessons, enjoy a grand adventure, and everyone comes out feeling like they've received a warm hug at the end. That's everything I want out of a film like this, and Paddington in Peru delivers in spades.