The gorgeous Oscar-winning animated film Happy Feet follows the journey of a young emperor penguin who loves to dance. The Madagascar franchise includes memorable adventuring penguins, and the beloved Wallace & Gromit series introduced a mischievous penguin named Feathers McGraw.
Each of these offered a delightful glimpse into the world of penguins, blending humour, adventure, and heartwarming moments. However, we rarely see live-action penguin stories.
The Penguin Lessons is based on a true story loosely inspired by Tom Michell’s 2015 memoir.
The film begins in 1976 when an English teacher, Tom (Steve Coogan), arrives in Argentina to commence teaching at an expensive, all-boys private boarding school.
Tom left England to escape the pain of a tragedy, but despite working and living in various South American countries, he has yet to escape his grief.
It is unclear if he is idle or fatigued by grief, but Tom isn’t too fussed by his students’ inattention. He puts minimal effort into his lessons.
The school’s principal, played by Jonathan Pryce, reminds Tom that these are the children of wealthy parents. He says it is imperative that they their exams. He also tells Tom to refrain from political commentary in front of the students,
Before Tom arrived in Argentina, the country was on the verge of being taken over by a military dictatorship, and when the coup happens, the school shuts down for a week while tensions are high.
While most people are staying at home, Tom decides to travel to Uruguay to enjoy some drinks on the beach and perhaps meet a female companion. At a bar, he meets a woman, and they take a stroll along the beach together. During their walk, they come across a penguin covered in oil.
The woman insists that they help clean him up, and Tom agrees, hoping it might lead to a one-night stand. Instead, it leads to a relationship - but not between Tom and the woman, but between Tom and the penguin.
After the wash-up session, the penguin bonds with Tom and won’t leave his side. It leads to a rather humourous trip back to Argentina, where Tom reluctantly sneaks the penguin into his rooms at the school.
Through the penguin, Tom becomes friends with Sofía (Alfonsina Carrocio) and her grandmother Maria (Vivian El Jaber), who work as cleaners at the school. Tom brings the penguin to his classes and bribes his students to do their studies in exchange for playtime with the animal, who he names Juan Salvador.
Soon, the penguin isn’t just an annoying animal but a friend. Tom talks to him all the time.
When the military arrests Sofía, the penguin brings some solace, but can a little penguin do more than just that?
I have to it that when I started watching a film about a man and his penguin friend, I didn’t expect a military coup to be part of the story. However, the combination of buddy comedy and drama works well together.
Coogan brings his usual mix of deadpan humour and melancholy, while Bjorn Gustafsson, who plays a hapless but well-intentioned teacher, delivers a lovely performance. Nevertheless, Juan Salvador is the real star of the show.
Charming and moving, this penguin tale truly takes flight. Lovely stuff!
The Penguin Lessons, in cinemas now, cert 12a, ****
