Story
After the tragic death of his son in a fishing accident, Brazilian fisherman João (Jean Reno) is heartbroken and withdraws from the world.
Many years later, João finds a lost, oil-covered penguin floating limply in the ocean. Much to his wife Maria’s (Adriana Barraza) dismay, he brings the lost penguin into their home and nurses him back to health, eventually naming him DinDim.
When DinDim disappears back into the depths of the ocean one day, João is sent into despair. But the bond between them is so deep that DinDim returns the next year.
Through DinDim’s cheeky antics, their friendship blossoms and João learns to open himself back up to his community. Can the unbreakable friendship between man and penguin heal João’s broken heart?
Themes
Grief; child loss; relationships; animals in danger; marine conservation
Violence
My Penguin Friend has some violence. For example, João and Maria argue about keeping DinDim in the house.
Sexual references
My Penguin Friend has some sexual references. For example, João hugs Maria from behind, kissing her cheek.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
There’s no substance use in My Penguin Friend.
Nudity and sexual activity
There’s no nudity and sexual activity in My Penguin Friend.
Product placement
My Penguin Friend has some product placement. For example, a marine biologist photographs DinDim with a Polaroid camera.
Coarse language
There’s no coarse language in My Penguin Friend.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Based on a true story, My Penguin Friend is a heart-warming family drama that manages to tug on the heartstrings and be fairly educational at the same time. However, due to the death of a child and scenes of animals in danger this movie is not suitable for children younger than 7 years. And parental guidance is recommended for children under 12 years because of the heavy depictions of grief and loss.
These are the main messages from My Penguin Friend:
- Hope can come in many forms.
- Love and community can help overcome heartbreak, even during the toughest times.
Values in My Penguin Friend that you could reinforce with your children are compassion, resilience and the importance of community.
My Penguin Friend could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues like these:
- The different ways people experience grief.
- How to support someone who’s grieving.
- What to do if you’re experiencing grief.
You could also talk about animal conservation and in particular how ocean pollution impacts marine life.