'I'm an adult here to tell you Paddington in Peru is the most emotional movie you’ll ever watch.'

A few weeks ago, I found myself walking out of a children's movie premiere with a blotchy tear-stained face and red eyes.

I then proceeded to cry quietly all the way home, much to the confusion of my Uber driver.

Let me take you back to 2020. Yes, that's right, the year of pandemics and lockdowns and general sadness. I was at my parent's house doom-scrolling on TV (yes, this was a thing and yes, it's as sad as it sounds) when my mum walked in and asked me what I was watching. I said that I couldn't find anything that called to me.

Listen to Em Vernem's Paddington In Peru Sydney premiere recap on The Spill podcast. Post continues below.

A few minutes later after some worrying looks from my mother, she asked "Have you watched any of the Paddington movies?"

"You mean the weird CGI bear?" I replied in confusion. You see, my mum isn't usually the type to recommend a children's movie, so I was intrigued by this suggestion. We then watched both the first and second Paddington movies together.

I felt a delightful mix of confusion and surprise at seeing so many A-listers in these movies. I knew Paddington was popular, but this popular?

Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Julie Walters, and many more stars came across my screen in a way that felt very "Of course I'm in Paddington."

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I cried at many points throughout both films. From the beginning where Paddington is sitting in the rain, unsure of where he's meant to go— sporting nothing but an iconic red bucket hat and a tag around his neck that read "Please look after this bear. Thank you."

Honestly, how could you not tear up at this description alone?

My mum told me how Paddington was popular looooong before the movies came along.

According to the Uk's International Rescue Committee, our marmalade-loving bestie first became popular after the Second World War. He was created by author Michael Bond who says "Paddington Bear was a refugee with a label— 'Please look after this bear. Thank you.'"

It was only when I read that quote from Bond did I realise why I had been so emotionally charged while watching these two children's movies.

I mean, how could you not tear up at this moment? 😭 Image source: Studio Canal

Yes, Paddington is an animated bear who gets himself into surface-level trouble. Yes they're fun, action, adventure movies. Yes, the "bad guy" is always a little bit comical. But underneath the lighthearted humour that engages every child who has watched these films, is a feeling of understanding and connection that's there for the rest of us…

The search for identity and belonging.

Watch: Paddington and The Queen. Post continues below.

If you were brought up in NSW and completed your HSC between the years 2010-2014, the two words I mentioned above have probably given you a visceral reaction. However, maybe our creative writing advanced English exam was onto something.

The overarching journey Paddington undertakes in each film is to search for where he belongs. In the first film, we see the Brown family slowly but surely fall in love with our little lost bear as they decide to take him into their family.

In the second film, we see Paddington's place of belonging come under threat when he finds himself… in jail. I don't have time to explain, you just have to watch it (he's innocent don't worry).

Leading up to the third film, tensions were high, and if you read that in a sarcastic tone, I'm sorry to say, I'm being completely sincere here.

The film is called Paddington in Peru. If you're a Paddington aficionado like myself, you would know that our favourite little bear… is ORIGINALLY FROM PERU. What could possibly go wrong?

I'll tell you what: What if he tries to find the place he was born and can't? What if he doesn't get accepted by his first family? What if they hate him? What if he hates them?

So much could go wrong and because of the type of franchise it is… everything did go wrong. As children were laughing at Paddington's mishaps, I was gasping for air.

Learning from the first few films, this little bear is wayyyy too trusting of everyone and the people he's surrounded by are ditzy and complacent at best. So, coming into this new film, I went in thinking everyone was my enemy until proven otherwise.

Antonio Banderas? My enemy. Olivia Colman playing a nun? Also my enemy. Mrs. Brown, yep you guessed it— my enemy (why did they change the actress with no explanation?), you have to earn my trust "New Mrs. Brown" (if that's even your real name).

My three enemies until proven otherwise. Image source: Studio Canal

Jokes aside, and spoilers ahead— After trekking it through the Amazon, we see Paddington reunited with his tribe for the first time since he lost them as a little bear cub.

He then makes the biggest decision of all time. Does he stay with his tribe or does he stay with the Browns? His birth family VS his new family.

The ending gave me a huge sigh of relief when we saw that Paddington was given the best of both worlds. It also puts that constant thought we all had from the first two movies at ease— He has finally found where he belongs.

As the children were gleefully leaving the cinema giggling, I left with a tension headache.

What an absolute journey.

I highly recommend that everyone watches Paddington In Peru. Children across all ages will absolutely adore the film and adults will need to have some tissues on hand— It's a roller coaster.

If you want more from Emily Vernem, you can follow her on Instagram @emilyvernem or listen to her every weekday on The Spill podcast.

Feature image: Supplied/Studio Canal