Mr. Popper's Penguins

I wasn’t entirely sure that Mr. Popper’s Penguins was a project worth being made before seeing it. As movie fans, we’ve seen the story before, a well-known actor stars in a well-known story, no matter how bad the script is just for money, something to do etc. But the difference this time is that Jim Carrey’s unique brand of humor can turn a mediocre plot into a memorable movie. Loosely based on the classic story, Carrey’s titular character becomes the owner of a group of penguins when his father leaves him one in his will. He is then subsequently sent more after a misunderstanding with a friend of his late father. The rest of the film is pretty cut and dry. He struggles to learn the importance of family and the effect his work obsession has on them.

While these themes develop, there is a lot of simple humor, which is funny for varying demographics. I can’t say that I found it particularly hysterical when the one penguin repeatedly runs into the wall, but the children in the theater definitely did. There are some genuinely funny parts though, most of which are likely ad-libbed by Carrey. Other actors in the movie, but they’re nothing to write home about, not great, and not bad. As for the non-human actors, I don’t really know because as far as I can tell, they are mostly CGI. Yes, there are actual penguins involved, but even they look fake after a while. I guess that’s a testament to the effects team, unless real penguins hug humans and poop in toilets on command. Maybe they do, I don’t know.

Popper’s was able to present tension, and conflict without attempting to scare the pants off of the adolescent audience. No one is trying to murder the penguins to make novelty beak harmonicas or anything. There is a zookeeper (Clark Gregg) trying to bring them to the zoo, but I actually find it hard to dislike him until the climax. Movie fans will also get a kick out of Jimmy Stewart, Charlie Chaplin and The Hurt Locker references thrown in there. The kids didn’t get those so they are obviously intended for the parents… and the two 20-somethings there without children in tow. Don’t worry, it wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as the time I saw Yogi Bear alone. I got some questionable glances that day. (7.5 out of 10)