Movie Review: Paddington in Peru

Recently, my son and I watched Paddington in Peru, the third installment in the series about the lovable bear who lives with the Brown family in London. I wondered if he would need some background knowledge about Paddington to follow the film, but then quickly remembered my son is six years old and jumps at the chance for any television time, so an educational lesson beforehand was not necessary.

The movie follows Paddington as he searches for his beloved. Aunt Lucy, who is lost in the jungles of Peru. The Browns decide to turn the mission into a family trip, joining Paddington on his journey. As expected, there are plenty of silly mishaps along the way, with Paddington often at the center of the chaos.

I had hoped the movie would offer more direct adoption-related themes—something I could identify and discuss with my son while we were watching—but it really didn’t. There was an opportunity near the end that hinted at a deeper meaning, but even that felt like a bit of a stretch.

Overall, Paddington in Peru was a sweet, family-friendly film, but it did not compare to the other recent live action movies we’ve enjoyed (like Mufasa). It was low on high-action scenes, and my son had a take-it-or-leave-it reaction to the film. I felt the same.

Luckily, there are many fantastic kid-friendly movies with adoption-related themes that you can watch with your family this summer. I’ve recommended a few below.