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The Penguin Lessons

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for The Penguin Lessons PG-13 In Theaters Fri Mar 28 1h 50m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 15 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
Inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, Tom discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside-down.
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Cast & Crew

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Peter Cattaneo

Director

Micaela Breque

Actor

Tomás Pozzi

Actor

Ramiro Blas

Actor

Steve Coogan

Tom Michel

Björn Gustafsson

Actor

Critics Reviews

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Guy Lodge Variety This is amusing stuff, well served by Coogan’s knack for haughty composure in the face of the absurd. The film is less convincing, however, when it reaches into the realm of the tragic. Sep 11, 2024 Full Review Beandrea July IndieWire Using a distorted version of crucial historical events as a plot device that lionizes the British expat in a country that is not his own isn’t pathos, it’s objectification. Rated: C Sep 7, 2024 Full Review Ryan Gilbey Guardian There is a glass-half-full approach and then there is submerging reality so deeply in whimsy, sentimentality and cultural cliche that it needn’t be there at all. Rated: 2/5 Sep 7, 2024 Full Review Mark Keizer MovieWeb It can’t reconcile its natural inclination to be a charming trifle with its desire to tackle tough emotions and ugly historical truths. Rated: 2.5/5 Mar 25, 2025 Full Review Brian Orndorf Blu-ray.com Cattaneo battles to balance material that’s periodically all over the place, but the feature stays engaging, hitting beats of sweetness and sadness. And star Steve Coogan finds a few layers of character to play. Rated: B Mar 25, 2025 Full Review Neely Swanson Beverly Hills Courier The true star of this tale, the one who’s in the title of the film, is the penguin. Never pass up an opportunity to interact with penguins, and this one is no different. Mar 25, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews
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The Penguin Lessons

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The Penguin Lessons

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Movie Info

Synopsis Inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, Tom discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside-down.
Director
Peter Cattaneo
Producer
Rory Aitken, Ben Pugh, Robert Walak, Adrián Guerra, Andrew Noble
Screenwriter
Jeff Pope
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
42, Nostromo Pictures
Rating
PG-13 (Some Sexual References|Thematic Elements|Strong Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 28, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 50m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)