My Penguin Friend

Greetings again from the darkness. It's understandable if this movie makes you consider whether penguins might make better friends than people. David Schurmann directs a script from Kristen Lazarian Paulina and Lagudi Ulrich that is 'inspired by a true story'. By now, we all recognize this as code for dramatic license has been taken, and it's up to the viewer to differentiate fact from fiction.

Brazilian fisherman Joao (Pedro Urizzi), his wife Maria (Amanda Magalhaes), and their son Miguel (Juan Jose Garnica) are living a lovely, simple life along the coast until tragedy strikes at sea on Miguel's birthday. The story jumps ahead a few decades to find a sullen and continuously grieving and guilt-ridden Joao (Jean Reno) and an extraordinarily patient Maria (Adriana Barraza) still live in the same house, though they barely interact with others in the remote village.

One day, Joao rescues an injured penguin from an oil slick. After carefully cleansing the oil from the penguin's coat, Joao begins feeding him a steady (and consistent) diet of fresh sardines. Joao is happy when the recuperated penguin sticks around for a while and is elated when he shows back up the following year. Maria isn't sure what to make of the returning penguin (named DinDim by a local girl), yet she's thrilled to see Joao has a bit of spark. As viewers, we see what Joao doesn't. DinDim hails from Patagonia and is part of the annual penguin migration being studied by Marine Biologist researchers.

Mr. Reno and Ms. Barraza (nominated for an Oscar for BABEL, 2006) are two familiar and dependable character actors who rarely get a shot at lead roles, and even here, they are often in support of a penguin. They are both relatable and excellent here. Reno does nice work conveying a broken man who rediscovers joy after so much sorrow. It's also interesting to see DinDim's initial trip and how he became separated from the colony. Of course, much of this is speculation, although we do know that this penguin returned to Joao for eight consecutive years, and actual clips are shown at the end of the film. Director Schurmann has delivered a film that could be enjoyed by families, with only the early tragedy being a point of concern.

Opening in theaters on August 16, 2024.

Our local theater does "Mystery Movies" on Monday where all the tell you is the run time and rating before the movies starts, so we had no expectations. When it started, I saw that this was going to be a PG animal flick, so I started out bummed. I was pleasantly surprised. Based on the true story of a man who befriends a penguin, but the real story is more about how a man overcomes grief and re-engages with his life and community. How a village can actively support one another. There are quite a few laughs and silly moments as you would expect from a movie with a penguin as a main character, but pull that back, and it really is a redemption and growth story about a simple couple in a fishing village. There are a few darker themes, especially around human hubris and callousness, this will go over younger viewers' heads, all in all, a really heartwarming film that I recommend to take the whole family to see. My biggest criticism is that the dialog was a bit weak and they tried a bit too hard with some of the underwater shots. They tried something they hoped would look cool, but it was more disorienting than anything else.

My Penguin Friend is an extraordinary film that beautifully portrays the heartwarming relationship between a man and a penguin. The movie excels with its breathtaking visuals and a deeply moving narrative that explores themes of love, kindness, and the profound connections we share with animals. The storytelling is engaging and heartfelt, making it a visual treat and an emotional journey. This film stands out as one of the most memorable and impactful movies I've ever seen, blending uniqueness with emotional depth into an unforgettable cinematic experience that resonates deeply with viewers. Truly beautiful.

If this movie had a bigger marketing push, I don't doubt that it would be a hit as big as Life of Pi or We Bought a Zoo.

The cinematography was beautiful, every scene full of life and detail. There's a lot of heart and pain on the screen, but it's very much a story of love and acceptance. Often, accepting the hard parts of life, like grief.

The movie spans many years, so there's a depth to the feelings of each of the characters that develops beautifully on screen, and even though there is plenty unsaid, the movie clearly trusts the audience to gather the details for themselves.

All said, I would love a penguin friend myself.

I cried in this movie as it's so moving especially seeing what the Penguin had to go through to go to his beloved master who saved him.

The movie is very similar to Hachi: A Dog's Tale with Richard Gere based on a true story.

It's a moving movie and training a Penguin to do and play the best parts is not so easy. I can imagine the trainer how many hours they repeated the shots to get what was required to progress the movie.

The movie lacked a strong direction and one time makes one feel angry when the penguinologist/ornithology sends a tv camera crew to interview João and then kidnap DinDim the beloved Penguin who was crossing doing the 5000 miles journey from Argentina to Brazil for 8 continuous years.