When we last saw our little illegal immigrant bear from Darkest Peru (voiced by Ben Whishaw), he had successfully gained asylum with the London browns without ever going through the proper channels. This is what we're teaching our children these days...
Little Paddington's having a grand old time, and he's made a number of new friends around the neighborhood. But he's sad because his beloved aunt's birthday is coming and he wants to send her the perfect gift. It's not long until he finds one, with a little help from an antiquarian friend (Jim Broadbent, returning -as almost everyone else- from the first film.) The gift is a pop-up book detailing a number of London landmarks. Paddington immediately realizes it's perfect because his aunt's dearest wish is, wouldn't you know it, to go to London, and we soon get a prime example of the weapons-grade charm these movies deploy as Paddington imagines taking his aunt on a tour of old Blighty tourist attractions made in the medium of, well, pop-up books, and the scenery folds out and back into place in place of scene transitions. It's a lovely, imaginative idea, beautifully realized by (returning) director Paul King.
Paddington immediately sets out to make money to buy the book (on the one hand, he's not immediately sending it out of the country, but he does intend to ship out a one-of a kind pop-up book. Hmmm.) Unfortunately, he happens to mention the book to a new character Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant). Mr. Buchanan is a fading theatrical star (now reduced to doing dog food commercials in costume) - a ripe old ham, of course, and Grant has a huge amount of fun chewing on any scenery within reach.
And of course the book is a McGuffin - Or a treasure map, I should say, which leads to a dead circus performer's treasure. Buchanan steals the book and frames Paddington, so the film then splits between Paddington's prison time, and his adoptive family trying to solve the crime and clear the bear's name.
It's a similar setup to the leadup to the third act of the first movie, except here their separate adventures comprise the entirety of the second act - which is fine, because Paddington's stay in prison is a delight. It gives the series' themes of winning people over and bringing them together a workout, as a ton of inmates and wardens enter the yarn, with pride of place going to the prisoner cook Knuckles (played with gruff charm by the great Brendan Gleeson).
It will all lead up to some wacky adventures as the main plot is resolved, but the considerable charms of the movie are found elsewhere - In the goofy humor of its many many jokes, the technical attention to detail and imaginative transitions (again, the influence of Wes Anderson is not hard to see), or in the little flourishes and links in the script. It's not without its convolutions and clunky bits, but it's hard to be down on a movie when it sets things up so that you know where the coin the bear takes out of his ear to make a payphone call came from. Or one that hides a (very funny) full blown musical number with a ton of extras as a mid-credits stinger.
Rewatching these films, I think maybe I've been a bit more down on the first one than I should have, and maybe thought better of the second one than it really is. They're on a pretty even keel, all things considered, even though I still like the second one better. But they're both an absolute joy to watch - funny, clever and lovingly made. What more can you ask for out of a kid's movie?
Well, maybe a bit more rectitude in their messaging. By the end of 2 (spoilers!) you've got two bears living illegally with the browns. And we all know where this road leads: people brazenly talking bear in the streets, marmalade and salmon bones in the pavement... for shame. Keep Britain Ursine Free!
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