My Penguin Friend Parent Guide

Everyone needs a friend – whether they know it or not. After the tragic loss of his son, João (Jean Reno) shuts himself away from the life of his village, avoiding his friends and focusing entirely on his fishing boat. Then, one day he finds a penguin struggling in the water, his coat slicked with oil. The softhearted fisherman brings him home, scrubs his feathers with water and detergent, and tells his reluctant wife, Maria (Adriana Barraza), that the penguin needs time to build his strength and replace lost feathers. Two weeks later, João decides the penguin, named Dindim by a girl in the village, is strong enough to live in the wild, so he releases the penguin onto an island in the bay.

Imagine João’s astonishment when he finds the penguin in his kitchen. Apparently Dindim has adopted a new human family – and much to their surprise, this isn’t a short term relationship. Year after year, Dindim alters the normal penguin migration route to travel 5000 km (3100 miles) from Argentina’s Patagonia region to the coast of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. And he does so to spend time with his favorite human.

My Penguin Friend is exactly what it seems to be – a charming, family-friendly movie that will fill you with cheer and maybe bring a happy tear to your eye. If you share my infatuation with penguins (how can you not adore watching them waddle determinedly along?), then this film will be a home run. It’s full of penguins looking ridiculously charming both while interacting with humans and within their own communities. More remarkably, the movie even contains humans who behave with kindness, compassion, and good neighborliness. The sole exception is an ethically challenged scientist, but as movie villains go, this is pretty minor stuff.

If you’re considering watching this movie with kids, there are only two content issues you need to consider. First, a child drowns after a boat accident in a storm. This comes right at the beginning of the film and could easily upset young viewers. Second, Dindim faces some peril and has a dangerous fall, which could also scare kids. If you have sensitive youngsters, be cautious, but all other school-age kids should enjoy this film, along with animal-lovers of any age.

Sorrowful scenes aside, there are numerous reasons to take the whole family to see My Penguin Friend. This gentle little film is a reminder of how badly we need connection and of the power of friendship to heal our hearts. It’s a story of love, kindness, persistence, and hope – and don’t forget, it’s full of gloriously, absurdly cute penguins. If you want to smile, and laugh, and feel better about the world, this is a movie you’ll want to see.