While the trailer paints this as a cutesy animal comedy with shades of Dead Poets Society come Fly Away Home, be prepared for a film that certainly has much more gut wrenching drama than expected.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 25, 2025

The filmmakers apparently believe that if you put a penguin in a starring role, you can’t go wrong...

| Apr 25, 2025

This utterly charming blend of light comedy and even lighter drama offers a delightful variation on a familiar cinematic formula: the jaded schoolteacher rediscovering purpose in their craft from an unlikely source of inspiration.

| Apr 23, 2025

Peter Cattaneo...is normally a surer hand with shading, but the script by Coogan’s regular collaborator Jeff Pope...also keeps defaulting to penguin lols – it waddles, it’s cute, repeat – rather than giving the ensemble much to do.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 22, 2025

Adapted from Tom Michell’s autobiographical book, The Penguin Lessons counters the inspirational teacher cliches with a bumbling charm that’s boosted considerably by a first-rate performance from the scene-stealing penguin.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 21, 2025

The stakes are unbelievably high, and whether textual, structural or performance related, this emotional journey isn’t fully realised. Nonetheless, this is still a wildly enjoyable film.

| Apr 21, 2025

This movie is enjoyable to watch and has its serious side. At the end of the day, though, it’s mainly about a schoolteacher and a penguin. The political upheaval is there but it is not examined in any detail.

| Apr 21, 2025

Setting a tale of animal friendship against one of human cruelty is an odd choice that doesn’t always work. However, Coogan and his penguin co-star bring enough charm to The Penguin Lessons for viewers to get behind what the film is trying to do.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 21, 2025

Scraps of archive and clunky expository dialogue is all you'll find here. But as a gentle comedy for Coogan fans who don't mind watching a film with a complete lack of originality, The Penguin Lessons might be acceptable enough.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 19, 2025

...[Steve] Coogan and the penguin are quite the double act here and it's a joy to watch them together.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 19, 2025

Sure, penguins can do an impressive amount. But, despite what The Penguins Lessons implies, that does not extend to singlehandedly defeating fascism.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 18, 2025

While the film offers heartwarming moments and gentle humour, it ultimately plays it safe ­– neither fully embracing its quirky premise or digging into its historica setting.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 18, 2025

Cattaneo has it made as far as Coogan’s palmiped co-star is involved: throw in a few quizzical beak-raised reaction shots and you can’t fail. But the combination of farce, stark political reality and a shameless ahh factor is decidedly awkward.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 17, 2025

Coogan imbues the character with attractively dry humour, and there's solid support from Jonathan Pryce as his stuffy headmaster.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 17, 2025

The film tells the story of the disappearances of the dictatorship in the background (but never less important) and the tale of a loner, who could not have found a better companion than a Patagonian penguin. [Full Review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 17, 2025

The film never hits the heights of charm for which it’s aiming.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 17, 2025

The unorthodox narrative and tonal whiplash of The Penguin Lessons make it an oddity. Nevertheless, the charismatic cast and the convictions of its sentiments make it an intriguing and ultimately life-affirming watch.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 17, 2025

If you do pick up a penguin, you could do worse than experience Michell’s kind of spiritual and moral awakening. Still, the film is thankfully sharper and less cute than it initially appears.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 17, 2025

Equal parts funny and charming yet sincere and thought-provoking, The Penguin Lessons takes a while to show its true colours but really comes to life when delving into its societal themes.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 16, 2025

Steve Coogan wears despondency like a favourite tweed jacket but the batty little bird is the star of every scene.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 16, 2025