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The Penguin Lessons main poster

The Penguin Lessons

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7.6/10 • 7

2025-03-271h 52m

Drama

In 1976 Argentina, on the eve of a political revolution, a teacher and his students at an exclusive boys school are enlightened by an unusual guest.

In 1976, as Argentina descends into violence and chaos, a world-weary English teacher regains his compassion for others thanks to an unlikely friendship with a penguin.

Directors
Peter Cattaneo
Writters
Jeff Pope
Editors
Jeff Pope, Tariq Anwar

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Steve Coogan

    Steve Coogan

    Tom Michel

  2. Jonathan Pryce

    Jonathan Pryce

    The Headmaster

  3. Vivian El Jaber

    Vivian El Jaber

  4. Björn Gustafsson

    Björn Gustafsson

  5. Alfonsina Carrocio

    Alfonsina Carrocio

  6. David Herrero

    David Herrero

    Diego

  7. Micaela Breque

    Micaela Breque

  8. Tomás Pozzi

    Tomás Pozzi

  9. Ramiro Blas

    Ramiro Blas

Reviews1

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Brent Marchant Avatar

Brent Marchant

Mar 31, 2025

8/10

There’s an old expression in show business that advises entertainers not to work with children or animals because they’ll upstage them every time. But, while that’s often true, it’s not always the case, as seen in the latest feature offering from director Peter Cattaneo. This charming comedy-drama tells the fact-based story of English teacher Tom Michell (Steve Coogan), who somewhat begrudgingly takes an instructor’s job at St. George’s College, a prestigious boarding school in Buenos Aires, just before the 1976 Argentine revolution. The cynical, curmudgeonly teacher has moved around a lot, and he’s not particularly thrilled at this latest stop, as becomes apparent in his classroom demeanor and overarching attitude. Not long after his arrival, when a military coup d’etat hits that overthrows the government, he decides to get out of town until the dust settles. He embarks on an impromptu vacation to a Uruguayan resort town, where he meets a beautiful, flirtatious woman, Carina (Mica Breque), in a nightclub. That encounter subsequently leads to a late night walk along the beach, but, while on this stroll, they find a penguin that’s barely alive and covered in oil, a victim of a recent spill. To impress his would-be one-nighter, Tom and Carina take the bird back to his hotel to clean it up. What Tom doesn’t realize, however, is that the penguin, who would subsequently come to be named Juan Salvador, has made its unwitting rescuer its friend for life, despite his repeated efforts to return it to the wild. It’s a prospect the professor doesn’t especially relish, but, upon returning to Argentina with penguin in tow, man and bird become the unlikeliest of friends, under prevailing conditions both at the school and in the country at large that prove threatening (but unexpectedly beneficial) to both. At first glance, one might think this sounds like a cutesy, schmaltzy, manipulative tale a la Disney, but far from it. The picture tells a sincerely engaging story of personal growth and the emergence of personal courage, brought about by the influence of an improbable feathered mentor in a tense social and political environment that has both Tom and virtually the entire Argentine population on edge. It’s also a tale the defies the timeless cautionary adage about casting decisions involving both man and beast, with Juan Salvador being just as much a member of the ensemble as his human counterparts. Admittedly, the film has a little trouble finding its footing in the opening act, but, once it does, it’s a delightful and touching release that’s moving without being drenched in saccharin. “The Penguin Lessons” is also one of those movies that needs to be seen to be believed, as the trailer truly doesn’t do it justice. Indeed, this is one of those heartfelt, uplifting stories that the world needs more of at a time when we could all use a little inspiration to help see us through the tough times.

Media

  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster
  • The Penguin Lessons poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
$1,188,554.00
Keywords
1970spenguinbased on true storyargentinabased on memoir or autobiographydramedyanimal human friendship