“AN AMAZING STORY ABOUT AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
MY PENGUIN FRIEND tells a beautiful, heartfelt story of a lost penguin helping a fisherman heal from tragedy. The movie has no explicit Christian or biblical elements, but it stresses taking care of God’s creation, forgiveness and the importance of a loving marriage in the face of tragedy. The movie also displays the power that community can have for people. MY PENGUIN FIREND has several sequences of peril, for both humans and animals, including a scene where a boy apparently drowns. The scene isn’t graphic, but MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children.
CONTENT:
Very strong moral worldview with redemptive values where people support one another, a man cares for God’s creation, a wife and husband deal with grief but don’t hate one another, and instead they show each other love and forgiveness, and the movie also stresses the importance of engaging in and finding community amidst grief;
No foul language;
A boy is knocked unconscious and apparently drowns at sea during a storm in the opening of the movie (the storm scene is short and not particularly graphic, but it could be intense for some viewers), there are several scenes of peril, a penguin falls from cliff, some mild blood is shown, and a penguin is caught in an oil spill;
No sex;
No nudity;
People make a toast in one scene;
No smoking or drugs; and,
Nothing else objectionable.
MORE DETAIL:
Inspired by a true story, MY PENGUIN FRIEND is a heartfelt movie about the unlikely friendship between a grieving Brazilian fisherman and a lost penguin.
The movie opens up with Miguel, the son of a fisherman named Joao, who fishes off the coast of Brazil. On his birthday, Miguel wants to go fishing with his father. However, due to a storm, their boat capsizes, and Miguel is knocked unconscious.
The movie cuts to an older Joao, who fishes the same beach and lives in the same home, making it clear that Miguel drowned. Stricken by grief, Joao has pulled away from his friends and fishes alone. However, when a lost penguin washes ashore, Joao again finds a purpose for living.
Despite his wife’s initial hesitation, Joao nurses the penguin back to health, even creating a burrow for him on the beach. Joao wonders if the unlikely pair are bonded for life but is disheartened when he wakes up to find the penguin gone from the beach.
Meanwhile, a team of researchers in Argentina study the very same penguin. They are surprised to discover that when it’s time to migrate, the penguin takes a detour to visit Joao in Brazil, 5,000 miles away.
Joao, along with his friends and family in the town, are elated at the penguin’s return. The small community named the unique bird DinDim, and the bond between Joao and the bird reaches national headlines. Joao only insists on one thing: that the penguin “comes and goes as he pleases.”
MY PENGUIN FRIEND is a beautiful, heartfelt story with little to no objectionable content. Based on the real-life story of Joao Pereira de Souza, this retelling focuses on how DinDim the Penguin helps Joao process the grief of losing his son.
The movie has no explicit displays of Christianity, but it has many biblical themes sprinkled throughout its runtime, including the power of forgiveness, the importance of caring for God’s creatures, and how community helps amidst grief.
MY PENGUIN FRIEND is expertly directed with a good score and solid performances from the humans, and even better performances from the penguins. The movie also employs a unique POV angle so that audiences can see through the eyes of DinDim throughout the movie.
MY PENGUIN FRIEND has many positives. MOVIEGUIDE® does, however, advise caution for young children due to some moments of peril and the opening scene where the young boy is knocked unconscious and apparently drowns.