Review: 'Mr. Popper's Penguins' Has Perks For The Younger Crowd

By Michael Lopez

You've got to hand it to Jim Carrey; he definitely has range. In the past year, he's gone from an unstable gay felon in the R-Rated I Love You Phillip Morris, to a family-friendly bird lover in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. It works on some levels because he can always surprise his audience. But it could also make those expecting raunchy Ace Ventura humor feel somewhat disappointed by this latest outing.

From the get-go, it's clear Popper’s has elements that feel a bit repetitive. There's the cold-hearted businessman (played by Carrey), the ex-wife he may still have feelings for (played by Spy Kids’ Carla Gugino), and the two children who've become detached from their father. Could there be anything to bring this family closer together? Enter six adorable penguins.

Named Captain, Nimrod, Stinky, Lovey, Loudy, and Bitey (for obvious reasons), Popper inherits the pets as a gift from his dearly departed dad. Soon, his heavily structured world gets turned upside down and his fancy New York apartment becomes a virtual winter wonderland.

From there the plot could have easily headed into cookie-cutter territory, as the new house guests teach the selfish man to "love again." The good news is that Popper’s has just enough talent behind it to keep things original.

Carrey is as engaging as ever and even interjects a few classic mannerisms to keep die-hard fans entertained. Legendary screen actress Angela Lansbury also adds a nice touch to the film, as does Ophelia Lovibond as Carrey's neurotic assistant. But as expected, the true stars are the penguins.

The effects team behind Popper's did a great job bringing the six Antarctic scene-stealers to life. And all of the performers deserve some extra kudos for having to act against birds that were mostly created via CGI. Plus, with generally clean humor throughout and a positive message behind it, Mr. Popper's makes a great cinematic escape for the 10-and-under crowd.

Bottom Line: Though it's is obviously not for everyone, Popper’s does an admirable job of delivering wholesome entertainment for younger viewers. With heavier films like X-Men: First Class and Super 8 currently dominating the box office, Penguins offers a nice, non-threatening movie-going alternative.

Are you planning on checking out Mr. Popper’s Penguins? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Carla Gugino, Jim Carrey, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Mr. Popper's Penguins