Review: ‘Paddington’ is great family fun for children and adults

Posted on January 30, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

I sat down to watch “Paddington”–based on the character who first appeared in Michael Bond’s children books–with mild optimism but prepared for the worst. What I got was a delightful film, full of witty humor, wild antics and a lot of heart. With jokes for the adults and goofy action for the kids, this is honestly one of the best live-action family films I’ve seen in years and an early candidate for the surprise movie of 2015.

The first thing I noticed about this movie was just how funny it is. The humor is quite witty, and while it’s not “adult” in the risqué sense, many of the jokes will be enjoyed by adults. At the same time, Paddington always seems to find himself in one mess or another, usually building Rube Goldberg-style into a complete disaster. These sequences will surely keep the kids entertained, and will probably offer a few chuckles (or more) for their older counterparts as well.

There is also a lot of heart to the story, and while the message is a bit overt, that’s how it usually goes in family movies. But that doesn’t make the messages any less effective, because by the end, you care about Paddington and the Browns and can see how they are helping each other.

“Paddington” is a wonderful movie that should entertain children and adults in equal measure, proving that you can indeed have your marmalade and eat it too.

The film is rated PG for mild action and rude humor.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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