Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

Paddington 2: #MeToo 

Many films utilise a redemptive story-arc for key characters, but Paddington 2 applies this to everyone, writes Nick Pollard


Paddington-2It is clearly coincidental, but perhaps providential, that Paddington 2 is released while the media is driving the #MeToo meme. Every day we read new salacious stories revealing people’s hidden depths of wickedness, with an implicit expectation that we should now vilify and exclude them.

Then, along comes Paddington 2, with its heart-warming story of a little bear who looks for the hidden depths of goodness in vilified and excluded people, with the explicit expectation that they should be recognised as part of the society which we all share.

The film’s storyline is simple, but beautifully developed. Paddington (wonderfully voiced by Ben Whishaw) is working hard as an accident-prone window cleaner to earn enough money to buy a pop-up book from an antiques shop to give to his aunt for her birthday.

However, the book contains a secret message about the location of hidden treasure, and the villainous Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) steals it away. Wrongly convicted of Buchanan’s crime, Paddington is sent to prison, where he faces the violent Knuckles McGinty (Brendan Gleeson).

Many children’s films operate at two levels: obvious visual slapstick for young viewers, and subtle verbal humour for adults. Paddington 2 has a much more connected integrity, with an underlying message for young and old. As much as many of us have been hurt, in different ways, by the wicked behaviour of other people, there is good in everyone. And, as much as evil within people’s hearts must be recognised and repented, if civilised society is to survive, the goal must be restitution and restoration.

Many films utilise a redemptive story-arc for key characters. Paddington 2 applies this to everyone. And, thereby, has an important message for us all.


Nick Pollard is is co-founder of the Ethos Community which publishes at EthosMedia.org and EthosEducation.org.
This review was first published on the Ethos Film Blog and is used with permission

EthosFilmBlog banner 800x200


 

Baptist Times, 16/11/2017
    Post     Tweet
A Haunting in Venice   
The latest of the Kennneth Branagh-Poirot films deals with the supernatural - and Poirot's loss of faith. Would Agatha Christie have objected to this? By Jonathan Vaughan-Davies
Film review: After The Flood
Well-produced and easily understood documentary on the role of UK churches in the slave trade. By Chris Goswami
Father Stu: The R-Rated Christian Film 
The story of a damaged man training for the priesthood portrays faith in a realistic and authentic way
Cyrano: A story of love or lust?
A film that asks questions about the nature of love. Review by Mat Gale
The Eyes of Tammy Faye 
New film is a sympathetic portrait of a Christian woman who spectacularly fell from grace
'He wanted to honour God with his voice'
The new film Pavarotti embraces the tenor's highs and lows - and the distinct sense of stewardship of his voice