My Penguin Friend

This was such a heartfelt and loving story. It is not your typical Hollywood movie but rather showed real emotion, the highs and lows and overall love that was shared between a man and a penguin. I loved that real penguins were used versus using CGI or animation that can sometimes make storytelling feel inauthentic and not natural. It really showcases how all walks of life crave human interaction. It was well documented and you could feel the connection through the screen. DinDim helped a man heal and find true meaning again. It was beautifully and wonderfully made and everyone should see it!!

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.

Inspired by a true story, My Penguin Friend follows a fisherman named João (Jean Reno) making friends with a penguin he rescued from an oil spill. An unlikely bond that will know no boundaries and will catch attention worldwide.

Directed by David Schurmann and written by Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich, the movie explores the theme of friendship in an honest and beautiful way. A friendship that illustrates the lengths we can go for someone we love. Jean Reno and the penguin, most of the time a real one instead of CGI, possess a chemistry that transcends the screen, rendering an endearing and charming experience. Like the reporter told João, this is a unique friendship that gives hope. It is like they found in the other what they needed, the missing part in their lives, something that can be seen from the moment they met and the strong connection they manifested. After the reluctance of Maria (Adriana Barraza) to have a penguin in their house and João assuring her it will only be a matter of days till he is healthy and prepared again, the penguin found in João someone he could trust. From making him a special attire, building him the equivalent of a penguin's nest outside of his house, to making sure he is well fed by buying him fish, it is clear João considers the penguin as an important new part of his life. In his own words, when asked if he was his pet: "Not my pet. He's my friend." The same can be said about Dindim, named like that by the daughter of a local friend of João. Dindim's unwillingness in abandoning his new friend is seen from the moment when João takes him to the island so, now healthy again, he can be free to go anywhere he wants to. The penguin cooing as a way to tell him he wants to be with him is simply too cute, like those moments where he is seen cuddling in João's lap.

The aspect epitomizing how special this relation is is Dindim swimming over five thousand miles between Valdés Peninsula, Argentina, and Ilha Grande, Brazil, to visit his friend. The yearly routine consists of his coming back in June and departing by December, a fact exemplifying the nature of their bond as one between friends, pairs, and not owner and pet. As João indicated in a TV interview, "He comes and goes as he pleases." Treating animals as equals in a world where they are still traded like assets, harmed, and utilized for questionable experiments that regard their whole existence not as something intrinsically worthy but at the service of their masters, us humans, is something radically important and beautiful in its expansiveness of respect and love towards other species besides one's own.

The journey Dindim undertakes every year could be equated to the journey traveled by João, if only metaphorically. Owing to a traumatic event in the fisherman's life, an aspect the movie utilizes to add expressiveness to more dramatic layers, he will find in Dindim not only a new best friend but also an answer to appease the hunting voices of the past and find solace and happiness again.

I love My Penguin Friend! By the time this charming and heartfelt true story was over, I wanted my own cute and curious penguin pal.

The story revolves around Joao (Jean Reno), an old fisherman who has been lonely most of his life. That is, until he meets Din Dim the penguin. Drenched in oil, the frail penguin is taken care of by Joao till he regains his strength. While caring for Din Dim, Joao begins to feel an emotion he hasn't felt in a long time - happy. When Din Dim leaves unexpectedly one morning, Joao is certain he will never see Din Dim again. However, unknown to Joao, a bond has been formed that not even the widest ocean can break, and it is only a matter of time before the little one returns.

The thing that stands out to me the most in this movie is the penguin, Din Dim. I'm not sure if an actual trained penguin was used in this film or very sharp CGI. I'm guessing he's real. Din Dim is very excited while exploring Joao's house, even though Joao's wife, Ma (Adriana Barraza) doesn't approve. He rummages through toilet paper, scarfs down fish, and makes a burrow out of old trinkets he finds. He is quite humorous and cute at the same time. I also really like the credits at the beginning; it has a cool painted compass design, with lots of details. The plot is a bit hard to follow at first, and I didn't understand it fully till later in the film. But, the chemistry between Joao, Maria, and Din Dim is spot on. Joao cares for the penguin deeply; Maria only tolerates having a wild animal in her home. And, Din Dim causes loads of chaos, making it lots of fun for everybody. The background music, composed by Fernando Velázquez, really brings everything together with music that highlights what an emotional story this is.

The film's message is about the loyalty that comes from caring for an animal. Joao cares for Din Dim, and the little penguin becomes a companion to Joao, making both of them very happy. After a while, even Maria starts to play with Din Dim.

I give My Penguin Friend 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. My Penguin Friend releases in theaters on August 16 2024. Go check it out! By Braedyn M., KIDS FIRST!