The Penguin Lessons follows Tom Michell (Steve Coogan), a down on his luck English teacher who has just arrived in Argentina to work at a boarding school. He befriends a penguin and his life is changed for the better.
One of the things that I loved about this film is that it is based on true events. Tom Michell wrote a memoir about this significant time in his life and I knew that I had to read it before the film was released. As with many book to screen adaptations, there were a few changes, but I think they enhanced the story and made for one of the most delightful cinema experiences I’ve had so far this year.
Coogan was superb as the main character. He was more or less what I had imagined while reading the book. There’s a lot you don’t know about him going in and although some of the layers are peeled back, I like how the focus isn’t really about him at all. It’s about the friendship he forms with the penguin.
Juan Salvador, the penguin, was without a doubt the scene stealer. He was just SO CUTE. The fact that they used real penguins as well just made it more authentic. The friendship that Juan Salvador formed with Tom was so heartwarming to watch. Actually, everyone was rather taken by the little creature from the school students, to headmaster Buckle (Jonathan Pryce) and the housekeepers Sofia (Alfonsina Carrocio) and Maria (Vivian El Jaber). Who could blame them?
There was conflict in Argentina during 1976. I appreciated how they brought this more into focus for the film since it wasn’t really expanded upon in the book. It wasn’t something I knew much about so I feel like I learned something. Sofia and Maria weren’t based on real characters, but they represented those who were affected by the events.
I knew that I was going to enjoy The Penguin Lessons, but I wasn’t expecting it to have such an impact on me. It made me laugh out loud and it also made me sob. There were so many important messages woven through too. It’s definitely the best films of 2025 so far and I highly recommend seeing it for yourself.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Credits Rolling 