There’s good fun and sweet-natured sentiment in this sequel to the generally delightful PADDINGTON/’14, about a well-behaved young bear taken in by a nice upper-middleclass family in London. Though it does occasionally feel like everyone’s trying too hard. Writer/director Paul King loads up on busy design elements and overdoses on whimsy, but also finds enough goodwill to pull thru. Even when he does drop the ball, Hugh Grant shows up (in one disguise or another) as the film’s hammy villain, merging the wavelengths of Peter Sellers & Vincent Price to hilarious effect. And where MARY POPPINS (film, not book) served as the first film’s template (see below), this one goes back to GOING MY WAY, with genial bear in for genial priest, improving every life he touches and ending with a surprise visit from a much missed relative. With narrative drive supplied by Grant’s quest for a Pop-Up London Picture book that holds secret clues to a hidden fortune, a book Paddington innocently wants for his aunt. The way it all plays out is a little too much, but you won’t mind.
DOUBLE-BILL: ‘2' works much better if you’ve seen the original PADDINGTON.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Such a remarkably rich cast! It makes you wonder if young relatives begged their mom, dad, uncle or aunt to sign up for even a small role.
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