Jun. 21, 2011 - Issue #818: Brian Wilson

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Mr. Popper’s Penguins

March of the puerile

Brian Gibson / brian@vueweekly.com
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Mr Popper's Penguins—aka March of the Penguins Plus Some Puerile People—flails its wings before plopping back down on its cartoon-conceit. Little surprise there. This blockbuster summer, was anyone awaiting, with fish-baited breath, a movie where a man sits vigil with the egg of a Pygoscelis papua, desperately hoping it'll hatch, or a climax where Antarctic avians must choose between a zookeeper dangling sardines and the man who loves them?

This adaptation of the 1938 kids' book unwisely makes the main character a Trump-like businessman. NYC real-estate-gobbler Popper (Jim Carrey) breezes snappily through work and life, ignoring his feelings for his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) and seeing his two kids on weekends at his cool, modern apartment. Carrey does get off some sharp lines and some deft physical comedy with the penguins—entranced by movies featuring Chaplin's waddling Tramp—that his late father bequeaths to him.

But then the animals-cute-and-cuddly-as-a-Telus-ad schtick kicks in. The movie poops out some lazy toilet humour while straining to show that Popper's apartment is better for the flock than the zoo. It squawks and squawwwks its message about Popper rediscovering his inner child while reuniting with his estranged family. The penguins prove to be pixellated props and puppets, a team of tuxedos there to show the semi-Scrooge property-procurer the magical meaning of hearth and home. Brrr humbug.
 
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Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Opens Now playing
Directed by: Mark Waters

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