Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Mr. Popper’s Penguins – His long-lost father’s will leaves Thomas Popper with six penguins to care for in his city apartment. Although exasperated, he decides to keep them in order to make his children happy. As the penguins make themselves at home, Popper’s usual workaholic, cold demeanour warms as he begins to enjoy their company. With his kids and ex-wife getting closer to Popper, he must decide what is really important to him.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011) – Director: Mark Waters

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31372852

Rating: PG

Running Length: 94 mins

Starring: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Clark Gregg

Genre: Comedy

REVIEW: MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS

Loosely based on the classic children’s book of the same name by Richard and Florence Atwater, ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ follows Thomas Popper’s journey from ruthless workaholic to loveable family man via six penguins turning his life upside down.

Jim Carrey is at home playing Popper, a character barely distinguishable from many of his other roles (‘Liar Liar’, ‘Yes Man’ and ‘Bruce Almighty’ to name but a few) and his desperation to coin yet another catchphrase gets somewhat grating. However, the relationship he develops with the penguins is genuinely lovely and the journey he goes on with them is immensely appealing. Sadly, while Mr Popper’s Penguins is perfectly watchable, it always leaves you wanting more: the loving long-distance relationship with his father who then goes missing has barely any emotional resolution; Popper isn’t quite business-focused enough for his inevitable change to properly land; the zookeeper who wishes to take the penguins is doing so for the right reasons and therefore is not an effective antagonist; and, crucially, it is never quite funny enough.

Although Mr Popper’s Penguins isn’t a bad movie, it is disappointing that it wastes a story with so much potential to show a much deeper protagonist within the bounds of a children’s film. It is a genuine shame that director, Waters, chose to shy away from this in order to make a very generic, predictable (and dare we say, forgettable) kids’ film.

CONTENT: IS ‘MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

The movie opens with Popper as a young boy, talking to his father over a radio as he is on a mission in Antarctica. This is shown to be a regular occurrence until his father stops contacting him. Many years later, when Popper is a grown man, Popper finds out that his father died while out on a mission. This does not become particularly emotional but could be upsetting for kids who may be in a similar situation with a parent spending long periods of time away from home.

Popper speaks to one of his bosses, trying to talk him into retiring by saying ‘Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and a marmalade sky’ to which his boss says ‘I don’t do drugs’.

After Popper takes in the penguins the concierge of his building finds out, leading to Popper having to bribe him with money in order to keep quiet. Later, the concierge expects more money from Popper for his silence.

Because Popper does not initially want the penguins in his home, he takes them outside and attempts to abandon them in the city.

The penguins watch a nature documentary which shows a close-up of a seal with its jaw open wide, this scares the penguins. Later in the movie, a character discusses the reality of penguins in the wild saying ‘one of them will get eaten by a whale’.

When three eggs are laid by the penguins, two hatch but one doesn’t. Popper does everything he can to save it but a penguin expert listens to the egg with a stethoscope, looks sadly at Popper and shakes his head. This leads to Popper being downbeat for around 10 minutes but does not become overly distressing.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS’ OK FOR KIDS?

‘Mr Popper’s Penguins’ is suitably enjoyable for a family movie but falls short of memorable greatness due to its disappointing lack of depth. As it isn’t especially fast-paced many younger children may lose interest quickly and therefore we recommend this movie for ages 6 and up.

• Violence: 1/5 (a child kicks a football which lands hard on Popper’s crotch, causing him to bend over double in pain)
• Emotional Distress: 1/5
• Fear Factor: 0/5
• Sexual Content: 0/5
• Bad Language: 1/5 (some mild blasphemy. The word ‘freaking’ is used a couple of times in place of a stronger curse word)
• Dialogue: 1/5 (Popper regularly mocks his bosses for being ‘old’. Popper speaks of someone saying ‘When she got onto the ice, she was kind of a spaz’)
• Other Notes: Deals with themes of divorce, exotic animals as pets, the consequences of putting your career ahead of your family, integrity and showing others the best in you.

Words by Laura Record