By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
Never underestimate the unexpected bond between a penguin and a human.
Steve Coogan (TV's "Brian and Magpie") plays a man whose life is forever changed by the most unlikely of companions in the heartwarming and deeply moving new film,
"The Penguin Lessons."
Directed by
Peter Cattaneo (TV's "Magpie Murders") and written by
Jeff Pope (TV's "The Reckoning"), the film effortlessly blends humor, drama, and warmth to create a memorable and uplifting story.
It would be easy to confuse "The Penguin Lessons" with the equally charming 2024 release "My Penguin Friend," which is also about an oil-covered penguin rescued by a human. While both films share a similar premise, "The Penguin Lessons" stands apart with an even deeper emotional resonance.
Adapted from Tom Michell's 2015 memoir of the same name, the film, set in 1976 Argentina, takes audiences on a journey that highlights the powerful impact this orphaned penguin has on not just one man's life, but an entire community.
Coogan plays Tom Michell, a British instructor assigned to teach English at St. George, an elite private boys' school in Argentina. The school, overseen by its meticulous and dapper headmaster, Timothy Buckle
Jonathan Pryce (TV's "Slow Horses" and "The Crown"), has seen a decline in both grades and rankings, and Timothy hopes Tom can help turn things around.
The boys in Tom's classroom are an unruly group, although their disrespect doesn't quite reach the level of "To Sir, With Love," stature, Tom’s task of connecting with this privileged lot is no easy feat. However, there is always one student who stands out from the crowd, and in this case, it's Diego, portrayed wonderfully by David Herrero in his debut role.
Still, with challenges both inside and outside the classroom, Tom has his work cut out for him. Plus, with Argentina dealing with political and social upheaval, he's walked into more than he expected.
The school's science teacher, Bjorn Gustafsson ("Becoming Astrid"), strikes up a friendship with Tom, and the two slowly become familiar with each other's lives. When a political coup disrupts the day, sending the students home for a week, Tom takes a brief trip to a seaside resort in Uruguay for some relaxation, dining, and dancing. It's here that he meets an attractive woman, Micaela Breque (TV's "The Mallorca Files"), and they spend time walking along the beach. During their stroll, they come across a tragic oil spill that has claimed the lives of several penguins, but one remains alive. The woman insists they take it with them and clean it up. Although Tom doesn't get the girl in the end--turns out she's married--he does end up with a penguin, who quickly becomes attached to him and over time, Tom can't quit him either.
Now, Tom faces a dilemma: how can he keep the penguin at the school, which has a strict "no pets" policy. His first thought is to take it to the local zoo in Buenos Aires, but that idea quickly falls through when Tom's housekeeper, Maria (Vivian El Jaber, "Expiration Date"), and her politically outspoken granddaughter Sofia (Alfonsina Carrocio, "Society of the Snow") become utterly enamored with the penguin, naming it Juan Salvador.
As the penguin becomes more a part of Tom's life, he accepts that Juan Salvador is now his responsibility. He even brings the penguin to class, where it sparks a new level of interest and engagement from his students.
The movie takes a more serious turn when Tom, while out buying sprats for the penguin, witnesses a disturbing scene: a carload of men abducts Sofia. Paralyzed with fear, Tom watches helplessly, unable to intervene. This moment shifts the tone of the film, highlighting the undercurrent of tension and danger in Argentina in 1976.
While the penguin has brought joy and connection to Tom's world, it also becomes a symbol of the innocence and fragility of life during such a tumultuous period.
"The Penguin Lessons" offers a delicate balance between heartwarming comedy and a sobering exploration of political strife. It's almost unbelievable how a simple penguin, through its interactions with Tom and those around him, brings light during such a dark chapter of Argentina's history. This true story is a testament to the power of small acts of kindness and the unexpected ways in which lives can be changed.
Be sure to stay through the end credits of the film where you will see Tom, the penguin, the real students at the school, and everyone else whose lives were touched by this remarkable creature.
"The Penguin Lessons" is an outstanding and delightful little movie.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"THE PENGUIN LESSONS"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
