A One Mann’s Movies review of “The Penguin Lessons” (2025).
The biggest Brazilian movie success of all time – “I’m Still Here” – made it to the Best Picture list of this year’s Oscars. It covered the Brazilian dictatorship in the early 1970’s, with the disappearance off the streets of those ‘undesirable’ to the government. With “The Penguin Lessons”, we zip forward a few years to 1976 where a military coup has overthrown Eva Peron in Argentina, but the same shit is happening to ordinary men and women in their thousands. But with a penguin thrown in.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“The Penguin Lessons” Plot:
Tom Mitchell (Steve Coogan) is a disillusioned middle-aged man travelling around South America giving English lessons, but without much passion for the subject. He ends up in a private school in Argentina run by the headmaster Buckle (Jonathan Pryce). But on a weekend trip to Uruguay, he ‘adopts’ a penguin: an event that will change many lives.
Certification:
UK: 12A; US: PG-13. (From the BBFC web site: “Infrequent strong language, moderate sex references”)
Talent:
Starring: Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce, Julia Fossi, Vivian El Jaber, Björn Gustafsson, Alfonsina Carrocio, Micaela Breque, Nicanor Fernandez.
Directed by: Peter Cattaneo.
Written by: Jeff Pope (Based on the book by Tom Michell.)
Running Time: 1h 51m.
“The Penguin Lessons” Summary:
Positives:
- Perfectly pleasant balance of gentle humour and some sharp edges.
- Steve Coogan is great in the bitter bits as well as the sweet bits.
- Some great supporting parts.
Negatives:
- The first half seemed slow with smiles few and far between (and many of those in the trailer).
Review of “The Penguin Lessons”:
Pleasant and amusing.
I don’t have any particularly harsh words to say about this film. Neither do I have any gushing words. It is just a nice, pleasant and gently amusing tale, “based on” a true story. The first half however made me rather fidgetty: it moves along at a fairly glacial pace and the comedy is light on the ground, with many of the best lines being those that you have seen in the trailer. (Although, it’s notable that the “No” Coogan gives on the bus in the film is a ‘straight no’ and the overdubbed comedy “No” (from Alan Partridge?) that you get in the trailer!)
Thankfully, things pick up in the second half and the plot becomes more interesting, taking a few sad twists that are not spared on the viewer. Tom goes on an interesting character arc from a self-centred and cowardly bystander to someone taking more responsibility for himself and others.
Strong cast performances.
Having just seen Steve Coogan in the wonderful NTT production of “Doctor Strangelove”, I can only marvel at the man’s comic talents. But he can also be a good tragic actor (as he proved in “Philomena“, also co-written by Jeff Pope). He certainly proves that here and the moments where the film pauses to focus on Tom in sad reflection, giving his ‘confession’ to the penguin, are the film’s best.
The film is also great in showcasing a range of South American actors that are largely unknown outside the continent. Vivian El Jaber is wonderfully ascerbic as Tom’s no-nonsense housekeeper Maria; Alfonsina Carrocio is marvellously vulnerable as Maria’s granddaughter Sofia, in mortal danger from the regime; Micaela Breque is wonderfully seductive, if unattainable, as Tom’s co-penguin-rescuer; and Nicanor Fernandez is superbly threatening in a great scene with Coogan, as a regime boss who Tom confronts at a street café.
And the penguin, who actually comes from a wildlife park in the UK, acts well too!
Nice closing sequence.
Not a “monkey” per se, but right before the closing titles is shown some of the original camera footage that you see Tom (as Steve Coogan) taking around the swimming pool.
Summary Thoughts on “The Penguin Lessons”
It’s a perfectly enjoyable watch and one that ‘silver-screeners’ will no doubt enjoy. But – for me – it was nothing particularly special or memorable.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “The Penguin Lessons”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdjEXNX1nSA.
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