Paddington is a very popular character from a beloved British children’s book. This bear has traveled to London all the way from Peru, and he takes up with a family who find him at Paddington Station. Now this charming bear is on the big screen for all to see, surrounded by some of the biggest names in British movies and television.
Stars of this movie include Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, and Harry Potter veterans Julie Walters, Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton, making the very British film all the more accessible to American audiences. Michael Bond, who wrote the original book, has a cameo in the film as well. Meanwhile, there are several songs on the soundtrack by such artists as James Brown and Pharrell Williams that are readily available to be downloaded on iTunes.
This movie focuses on the gentle Paddington and all of the surprising adventures that this small bear faces once he arrives in London. He finds himself in the company of the Brown family, who are happy to accept him as a guest for a short time, taking heed of the note that he wears asking for someone to take care of him.
Trouble comes to Paddington and the Brown family when a taxidermist sees him and recognizes an opportunity to make a great deal of money. It turns out that Paddington is quite a rare bear, and he would fetch a bundle if he could be stuffed and sold. It will be up to Paddington’s new friends to help protect him from a terrible fate.
This movie has already been released. It was directed by Paul King, who wrote the screenplay along with Hamish McColl, and Emma Thompson also made minor contributions. The mild action and crudeness in this 95-minute-long movie earned it a PG rating.
