Parents' Guide to My Penguin Friend

Wild-animal-companion dreams are given wings in this touching true story of the unusual friendship between a man and a penguin. While it's slower and has fewer wacky antics than movies like Mr. Popper's Penguins or Penguins of Madagascar, My Penguin Friend still scoots along faster than March of the Penguins. But—like the Magellanic penguins themselves—it also never fully takes flight. It keeps the story grounded in reality, but at times that makes it feel a bit like sitting at the zoo in front of an enclosure that contains a sleeping animal. It's something to see, but it's not as exciting as you might have hoped.

Kids really enjoy films where they see other kids interacting with animals (think Dolphin Tale), and João's 7-year-old family friend Lucia (Duda Galvão) takes that role here, but she doesn't have enough screen time to be a true kid stand-in. To compensate, director David Schurmann uses a different device: He offers viewers a bird's-eye point of view, showing us what DinDim sees. This helps convey DinDim's feelings, like bewilderment and contentment, which lets kids think less about what it's like to have a penguin for a pet and more about what it's like to be a penguin. Viewers are reminded frequently that DinDim comes and goes as he pleases, underlining the movie's position that wild animals shouldn't be kept in captivity for any reason, including for research. Kids who strongly prefer animated movies might be restless, but even if they're a little bored at times, this sweet drama is ultimately an imagination starter.