Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Director: Mark Waters
Cast: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Ophelia Lovibond, Clark Gregg and Angela Lansbury
DVD release: 30 November 2011
Rated: G

Now here’s a pleasant surprise - I’m not a great fan of Jim Carrey, however he gives a mannered performance in this rib tickling, old-fashioned family movie. The mature Carrey is far less manic than a few previous annoying outings, and he joins six feathered friends in a warm underlying story of reconciliation with his estranged wife and children.

The film broadly based on Richard and Florence Atwater’s popular children’s book, first published in 1938 concerning a country town house painter and his family who inherit twelve penguins. The screenplay has been updated dramatically, with the central character now a charismatic high-powered real estate developer in the big city.

Things begin with rather cheesy flashbacks of young Tommy Pepper working the ham radio to keep in contact with his adventuring father who’s off in all parts of the globe. As an adult, Tommy is now Tom (Carrey) and has become flamboyantly successful in real estate development, but is estranged from wife Amanda (Carla Gugino) and has a sullen daughter Janie (Madeline Carroll), and young son Billy (Maxwell Perry Cotton) over at weekends. Popper’s living a rather solitary existence in his luxury high rise.

On the death of his wandering dad, he surprisingly inherits a penguin - and then a further five - which set his life in turmoil. There’s a ban on pets in the apartment building, and a persnickety neighbour (David Krumholz) upset from the noise of the birds takes umbrage. A dodgy zoo official (Clark Gregg) also gets into the act, attempting to capture the penguins for dubious reasons. As well, his avaricious bosses instruct him to try and buy the famous Tavern on the Green, by softening up its cantankerous owner (Angela Lansbury).

On the plus side, his estranged family are enchanted by the likable birds, given names in the manner of the Seven Dwarfs. At first traumatized then won over by his six new pets, Tom turns his pristine apartment into something resembling a snow sports field in Alaska. Fortunately his family find their new barmy father more lovable than the high powered executive. But there are chaotic times ahead for all concerned, as the penguins cause havoc wherever they patter their little webbed feet.

Of course the problem actors face working with animals is that the animals usually win the applause, and such the case is here. The cheeky penguins, a truly remarkable amalgam of live trained birds and CG counterparts, win hearts with their crazy escapades. Six penguins surfing down the Guggenheim ramp is a delightful bit of nonsense.

Yet it’s fair to say Jim Carrey (I Love You Philip Morris) still manages to raise smiles with his portrayal of the hapless Mr. Popper: a case in point, bursting into a meeting at Tavern on the Green in simulated slow motion. He’s aided by his screen family led by Carla Gugino (Sucker Punch), adding a needed romantic sparkle. Madeline Carroll (The Spy Next Door) convincingly manages the obstreperous teenage daughter, and Maxwell Perry Cotton (Brothers & Sisters TV) is the more lovable son. Angela Lansbury (Nanny McPhee) is good value as the crusty owner of the Tavern. Ophelia Lovibond (No Strings Attached) playing Mr. Popper’s smart assistant Pippi, has fun by predominantly using words beginning with the letter “p”.

All this is lorded over by director Mark Waters playing the script for gentle laughs, while keeping the sweet charm of the original story and avoiding dull spots. Waters previously gave us Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and The Spiderwick Chronicles. Cinematography is bright and slick befitting the storyline while, as mentioned, clever digital penguin effects are seamlessly incorporated. I rather think the penguin toilet training sequence could have been omitted to advantage, but overall there’s not much to complain about.

While there’s a degree of predictability in the plot, this remains one of the more entertaining films from Jim Carrey, and a movie to which you can buy for young children with confidence.

John Bale