Another case of the book being better than the movie. Jim Carrey, who gets on my nerves most of the time, plays Mr. Popper. He is a man with a heart as cold as an ice floe until a crate shows up from his deceased father containing a penguin. Cute as a button. Then five more arrive. Popper's estranged wife and two children are taken with the creatures and the family rifts seem to be on the mend.
Popper becomes enamored, obsessed and overtaken with care for the little fellows and gals. Eggs show up. Heartbreak comes when one egg doesn't hatch. Back in the freezer goes Mr. Popper's once-thawing heart.
Then there is a rescue, reconciliation, and redemption. All in 90 minutes.
The best part of the movie is watching the penguins which I thought must be some sort of robot penguins. But no, they were real and trained. Apparently penguins will do just about anything for a fish. Some of the scenes featured 'created' penguins. I guess you can't teach a penguin to dance.
I can't help but wish that someone would make a film that tells the original story by Richard and Florence Atwater of Mr. Popper the house painter. And I can see Hugh Laurie playing Popper. He would be perfect with the penguins.
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