Mr Popper’s Penguins (2011)
Duration: 94 minutes
Certified: U
Directed by: Mark Waters
Starring: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Ophelia Lovibund, Madeline Carroll, Maxwell Perry Cotton, David Krumholtz, Clark Gregg
KRS release
Mr Popper’s Penguins is a lame and uninspired film that has Jim Carrey and the titular penguins vying for the audience’s attention. As the audience would mainly comprise children, the main attraction should be the penguins… but for most of the time Mr Carrey hogs the spotlight as he stomps through every scene and grinds down his co-stars: humans and otherwise in what seems to be a hyperactive haze.
As a child, Popper (Jim Carrey) had been enthralled by his dad’s tales of exploration around the world. But as the years passed by, his father grew more and more distant, missed birthdays and gave his work more importance than his son.
In the present day, Popper is a high-flying executive who takes no prisoners in his hard-nosed business acquisitions. His latest target is Mrs Van Gundy (Angela Lansbury) whose precious restaurant Tavern on the Green he wants to buy. She wants to sell it to someone who will keep the restaurant going but Mr Popper is definitely not the guy.
Meanwhile, Popper is having trouble on the family front. Still a bit smitten with his ex-wife Amanda, (Carla Gugino), he finds himself disconnected from his two children: young Billy (Maxwell Perry Cotton) who still believes in him and disillusioned teenager Janie (Madeline Carroll). On the business side, Popper has a valuable assistant in Pippi (Ophelia Lovibund) who will soon be tested to her limits.
When Popper receives news that his father has died, this leaves him cold. He receives a box containing a penguin that he calls Captain, by post. This penguin is followed by another box that has five more penguins: Bitey, Loudy, Stinky, Nimrod and Lovey. Popper’s house becomes a sort of Arctic habitat for the penguins and his kids start to reconnect with him. Zookeeper Nat (Clark Gregg) wants the penguins for the zoo while his neighbour Kent (David Krumholtz) wants them out of the building. Popper has to save the penguins, his family, buy the restaurant and discover himself once again.
The penguins are mostly computer-generated creations and are quite an adorable bunch. Kids will find some of their antics hilarious but the premise of having six penguins (or any other sort of pet) saving a marriage may put some wrong ideas in kid’s heads. The penguins’ screen presence seems to be a throwback to Hollywood’s silent era which is referred to through the penguin’s fascination with Charles Chaplin movies and their aversion to watching nature documentaries.
Of the human cast, it is only Ophelia Lovibund who emerges unscathed. As Popper’s assistant she brings along a dash of style, humour and quirkiness as opposed to the over-the-top antics.
Carla Gugino here looks unchallenged while Angela Lansbury is perfect as the elderly good-hearted dowager. David Clegg is just required to look like a clumsy idiot – a role he executes perfunctorily. Maxwell Perry Cotton and Madeline Cotton are cute screen moppets and seem to connect well with the penguins, less so with Mr Carrey.
Mark Waters who has seen better directorial days – seems to be in awe of Mr Carrey. This results in too much of Mr Carrey and too little of the penguins. This film needed less of the Hollywood star power and more real feeling and heart.