Greetings again from the darkness. Penguins are darn cute. A penguin that follows you around and chooses to live with you is almost too cute for words. But in this story inspired by true events, that's exactly what happens. Directed by Peter Cattaneo (THE FULL MONTY, 1998), the film was adapted by screenwriter Jeff Pope (PHILOMENA, 2014) from Tom Michell's 2015 book. It's 1976 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A Military coup is in the works to take down the government of President Isabel Peron, who had served since the death of her husband Juan Peron in 1974. As you might imagine, the citizenry was on edge. Even St George's School for the sons of privileged families was not immune. It's also the school where Tom Michell (Steve Coogan, PHILOMENA) was hired to teach English. Michell shows up a bit haggard and unmotivated. He goes from one frustration to another: armed guards in the street, paint on his shoe, the strict rules of the Headmaster (Jonathan Pryce, THE TWO POPES), a bonk on the forehead from his housekeeper (Vivian El Jaber), and an intrusive fellow teacher in the Finnish Tapio (Bjorn Gustafsson). Initially, it seems the perfect role for Mr. Coogan who excels at playing a curmudgeon oozing deadpan cynicism. For Coogan's Michell, everything changes on a joy ride to Uruguay where he hopes to dance and mingle with the ladies. The dancing (with Micaela Breque) leads him to a near-death penguin washed ashore in an oil slick. In keeping with his luck, Michell doesn't get the girl, but does get the penguin ... a penguin that now refuses to leave his side. You can likely guess where this is headed. Juan Salvador (Michell's name for the penguin) changes lives. There is a sub-plot involving the housekeeper's granddaughter Sofia (Alfonsia Carrocio), but the key here is that everything works to move Michell to rejoin life and shed the grief he's carried from a personal tragedy. In fact, loss plays a substantial role throughout, having left Michell only able to react by doing nothing. Steve Coogan is not the actor one imagines when thinking of sentimental movies, but it's precisely his style that prevents this story from becoming overly mushy. Yes, it's a bit comical to watch a penguin provide therapy sessions (and the titular lessons) for so many, but the redemption of Tom Michell is the key. Director Cattaneo includes the real clip of the penguin in the school's pool that Michell shot on a handheld so many years ago. There are also a few inclusions of political commentaries that seem out of place - although not so considering the timeframe. Opens in theaters on March 28, 2025.

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