There are plenty of films based on true events that are just out there enough to be unbelievable, which is what makes them so great. The latest, The Penguin Lessons is one of those films but more in an unexpected way more so than out there. The film stars Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce, David Herrero, Bjorn Gustafsson, Julian Galli Guillen, Alfonsina Carrocio, and Vivan El Jabar with The Full Monty and The Rocker director Peter Cattaneo at the helm. Could this film manage to capture this unlikely friendship, or will it fail to learn its lesson?

 

The Penguin Lessons follows the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, Tom discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside-down.

 

Heading into this film I wasn’t sure if we were all going in on the comedy or getting some drama in there as well. Given the period and locale, I assumed there had to be some heavy story elements and I was correct. Interesting enough, it’s actually a lot heavier than you might expect, but still lighthearted enough to balance out the heartwarming story of friendship and healing in a unique way.

 

Coogan is fantastic as always here bringing this grumpy and broken man to life. He is a character that you can tell is just struggling to care about anything while trying to be normal. When dealing with animals in film it can get silly and take you out of the story especially if they end up with some bad CGI. The use of a real penguin works so much better, and this penguin was full of personality in every way. It is hard to imagen how this dynamic could ever work without being silly, but it does in every way.  You fully buy into their growing relationship and the way it works its way into the world around them.

 

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