“My Penguin Friend” is what you’d expect from an animal picture, except that it’s better — lifted by a smart script, sensitive direction and a truly beautiful performance by Jean Ren ...

In the spring of 2011, a single Magellanic penguin was caught in an oil spill on his way to his summer breeding grounds. The unflappable creature eventually drifted on to Proveta Beach in Rio de ...

The lonely fisherman immediately feels compelled to help this messy, misguided animal ... with his best friend Oscar (Maurício Xavier), depicting the role the penguin takes on as surrogate ...

Much of the success of My Penguin Friend lies in the script by Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi, which unabashedly celebrates the standard beats of the “cutesy animal guest” subgenre ...

David Schurmann, who directed My Penguin Friend in Brazil and Argentina, said the animal story has a lot to say about humanity. "A little penguin actually shows us how to become more human ...

“My Penguin Friend” tells the story of DinDim ... the dolphin in “A Dolphin Tale,” two superior examples of the animal-human relationship movie genre, DinDim is rather dull-dull as ...

‘My Penguin Friend’ review: Tale of unusual long-distance bond is touching They tell different stories, of course, but each movie is sweet, charming and inspired by real people and penguins ...

The standard heartwarming and humorous animal story unfolds as the penguin — eventually named ... supporting his new friends while they endure the turbulent and terrifying times of Argentina ...

quite touching film version that should delight families and animal lovers alike. While filmmaker David Schurmann’s “My Penguin Friend” may play fast and loose with the facts of Joao and ...

Now, with director David Schurmann’s “My Penguin Friend,” it’s a welcome return ... feels compelled to help this messy, misguided animal, brokering a deal with Maria (Adriana Barraza ...