The Penguin Lessons

"I used to be young and idealistic," says Tom, a new teacher in 1976 at a boarding school in Buenos Aires, Argentina, "but I soon came to understand that reality is different." Blunt, hedonistic, and unsentimental, Tom is unmoved by any tales or facts of woe. He makes excuses for his shortcomings and inaction. Nevertheless, when penguins coated in industrial oil wash up on a beach and fascists seize power in a coup, Tom is in for a deep awakening despite himself.

Steve Coogan (Tom) and Jonathan Pryce star in this true story of wit, warmth, counterintuitive discoveries, humor, drama, and cute penguin antics. There is real depth to the dialogue, characters, story arc, and acting. The Penguin Lessons was filmed in Spain with an Argentine cast. Many of the actors lived through the recent dictatorship in Argentina and they add authenticity to the story. At the world premiere screening of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival I was deeply moved in the understanding that merely one person, or penguin, can make a big difference in the world in the face of such evil and tragedy.

Rise like lions after slumber In unvanquishable number Shake your chains to earth like dew Which in sleep had fallen on you Ye are many, they are few.

, - Shelley.

8/10 STARS - The Penguin Lessons was AMC's Screen Unseen movie for March 18 and is based on a book of the same name by Tom Michell. Tom is an English teacher who takes a job at an all-boys boarding school in Argentina just as a military coup is beginning. At the start of the coup, he travels to Uruguay and comes upon a penguin that had been caught in a oil slick and washed ashore. He cleans up the penguin and then tries his hardest to get rid of it, even going so far as to throw it back in the ocean. But all to no avail. The penguin has decided that this human is its family and thus begins the sweet friendship between penguin and man. The backdrop of the story - the coup and resulting dictatorship in Argentina - adds a level of tension, but the heart of this film is about what the main character comes to understand about himself during his time with the penguin and how that journey of self-reflection helps him deal with his pain of past loss and his fear of speaking out on behalf of those in trouble. At the end of the movie, we see a short home video clip of the real penguin during its time there at the boarding school where Tom Michell taught. This is a sweet film with some underpinnings of darker themes, but nothing explicitly violent or sexual is shown. As a comedy drama, there isn't really any "action" to speak of, but that was okay because the story moved along well, the characters were interesting, and that darn penguin deserves an acting award for making me cry! It's a movie I wouldn't have gone to see on my own but I'm glad to have been able to watch it. Recommended. Short video review to come soon.

The talented Steve Coogan has created comedy gold with Alan Partridge that's a given and sends himself up as a person in the ever excellent The Trip, he plays true life characters that resonate with drama and incident-Tony Wilson,Martin Sixsmith, Paul Raymond and very creepy as Jimmy Saville. He takes chances and isn't afraid to go deep into the darkness. His Saville portrait was loathsome and sickening.

I have to admit he isn't very good at physical comedy here. He looks uneasy, like the penguin is upstaging him,taking the laughs.

I get his character is hiding a heavy emotional burden but I couldn't feel his character warmed to the penguin or his new lease of teaching his students using the cuteness of the bird.

On his arrival to the school he's nervous (granted) , a little off with other staff members, a little uneasy with a Finnish staff member then the next scene he's drinking and dancing in a nightclub with a young lady. His character felt a little artificial in the writing.

We felt hangdog looking Paul Giamatti may have been a better choice. Someone who can go both physically and visual comedy just as good. Although he's played a teacher a few times that he'll be typecast.

Nonetheless, this is a sweet film that looks good and has its heart on its sleeve. The scene where Coogan tells the penguin of his past grief is expertly acted. Coogan can do emotional depth very well.

Laura enjoyed it and the Penguin is lovely.

Not a bad movie. It actually had a plot which you can't say about a lot of movies anymore. Thankfully subtitles did not dominate. The penguin was cute. It dragged a little bit by the end. It would have been nice if they'd done some flash backs or something to give more context why the main character was the way he was for 2/3s of the film. Also I would have liked more time showing how the classmates bonded in the end. It was heartfelt and you could really see how the characters came out of their shells in different ways because of the penguin. I recommend this movie. It has a positive and hopeful message.

A distraught and antisocial teacher works his way down South America to Argentina. While the country is experiencing civil unrest, he takes an opportunity to go out and have fun. What was supposed to be a getaway ends up with him forced to keep a penguin. Little did he know that this penguin would change not only his life but the lives of everyone around him.

This movie adaptation of a memoir is inspired by actual events. The story is simple: Some friends come into our lives for just a season but leave a lasting impact. The movie has emotion, drama, comedy, and a penguin. Despite having a penguin, there is language and topics unsuitable for children. The one-hour and fifty-minute run time waddles by quickly. It is an entertaining watch for families with older children.