A Heartwarming Family Film with Penguins

We watched the film „Mr. Popper's Penguins" (2011) at Multikino in Riga Plaza on the very second day after its Riga premiere - thanks, of course, to the main characters: six gentoo penguins. Initially there were doubts it would be a lightweight (to put it mildly) piece, since the main character - a successful real estate broker - was played by Jim Carrey (I'm definitely not a fan of his films). But luckily it turned out to be a genuinely good family comedy, and even Carrey's jokes didn't seem so flat - perhaps age brings its own changes; sentimentality and attachment to values has arrived.

The film is equally well received by both children (you could feel it from the reactions in the hall, though as usual Multikino screenings aren't packed) and adults. The former were surely captivated by the clumsy, loud and disobedient birds; the latter - by reflection on family values.

The film is based on the work of the same name by American children's book authors Richard and Florence Atwater, published in 1938. Of course, the characters are placed in a modern setting, and the storyline in the film is immediately directed towards exploring the relationship between parents and children. Mr. Popper's father, a researcher and far-flung traveller, is rarely home until he perishes on an Antarctic expedition. But he still manages to send his son - now a grown and established man - one last gift: a penguin, which through a misunderstanding is later joined by five more of the same species.

Mr. Popper unknowingly repeats his parents' pattern, separating from his wife and two children whom he now only sees once a week. But this penguin episode brings the family back together and makes them understand and re-examine their value hierarchy, in which both a successful career and family are measured, as well as each person's selfishness and ability to step back from it.

A slightly idealised film (as most American films are), but a watchable and lovely one!