by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
We could all use a feel-good trip to the movies, couldn’t we? Life can be rough with all the madness in the world, but film has the power to warm our hearts for a spell. We need one of the types of stories that hits you on an emotional level and grabs your heartstrings. It would also be preferable if the film had a cute animal in it. Those always help.
How about teaming up Leon the Professional himself with a small penguin friend? That sounds like it would hit the spot! My Penguin Friend does indeed star the leading man of Leon, Jean Reno, and tell the story of how he saves, befriends, loses, and searches for his little penguin friend. Simple premise for sure. That is all this film really needs to deliver on anyway. It is the type of cute feel-good movie that works because it keeps things simple. The animal is cute. We care about the human/animal connection. Our human protagonist must get put through some emotional turmoil and their animal friend must overcome insurmountable odds to get back to their human. That is most of what the screenplay from Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich has to offer. There is some deeper emotional weight layered in with a tragic opening sequence that sets out penguin’s friend on the emotional journey to connect with this adorable bird.
What about the direction? David Schurmann keeps things simple. The film is quite bright and overly saturated, leaving very little from a visual perspective to make the film interesting. The most dynamic elements of the film are just shots of the penguin doing its cute penguin things. There are some sections that look more like a nature documentary than a narrative film (which frankly does work, keeping you engaged). But some unfortunate moments have the penguin replaced with CGI, and it looks quite artificial, which does not mix well with the film’s consistently fake background. There are some inconsistent pacing elements as well with sections of the story dragging, especially with the scientists finding our titular penguin. But generally, this is a sweet, easy film to gulp down.
But do the performances deliver? Most of them are a little awkward, or serviceable at best. Luckily, our little penguin star is charming, drawing the audience in with the smallest antics and movements. To be honest, it is not too hard to charm people when you are a cute little penguin. Reno delivers an earnest and moving performance as well, which works well to anchor the film’s human elements and drive home the emotions. He is supported well by Adriana Barraza, a great presence as his wife whose authenticity and acting chops are a nice addition.
Did you expect much else from a film called My Penguin Friend? This is a sweet and charming little film that will grab even the most cynical of us. Some elements are a bit sappy, but there are also moments of genuine emotion that might make you shed a tear. The technical elements are certainly not the highlight, but our dual leading performers, Reno and his penguin buddy, make this a good watch.
Rating: Is Was Just Okay
My Penguin Friend is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd