Content Advisory: Animal cruelty or animal death, Kidnapping
An English teacher in Buenos Aires adopts a rescued penguin in The Penguin Lessons. In the year 1976, Tom Michel (Steve Coogan) arrives at Buenos Aires to begin a position at an English Boarding School. Despite the fact that Argentina is in the midst of a coup d’état, it is the policy of the headmaster (Jonathan Price) to ignore the political upheaval. While taking a sabatical in Uruguay, the the school is closed as a result of the coup, Tom ends up adopting a penguin that he saved from an oil slick, which develops an unbreakable attachment.
The Penguin Lessons Synopsis
The Penguin Lessons is a drama directed by Peter Cattaneo (The Fully Monty) and written by Jeff Pope (Philomena, The Lost King), based on the memoir of the same name written by Tom Michel. The film stars Steve Coogan (The Trip) as Michel, who arrives in 1976 Argentina as the country is in chaos. After Tom rescues a penguin from a oil spill, he ends up smuggling it back to the boarding school, where it becomes an inspiration for the staff and students.
My Thoughts on The Penguin Lessons
As a feel-good dramedy, The Penguin Lessons works best when it focuses on Steve Coogan’s dry wit and humour, combined with the cuteness of the penguin. Elements of the film that don’t work quite as well are efforts to incorporate the political tumoil in Argentina during the 1970s, particular a subplot where Sophia, the 19 year old grandaughter of the schools housekeeper Maria, ends up being suddenly arrested in the middle of the street. However, The Penguin Lessons is still worth checking out for the cute penguin moments.