Bitterly disillusioned with life, Tom Michell (Steve Coogan) finds himself teaching O-level English at St George’s College, an elite British boy’s private school in Buenos Aires for well-off Argentines and ex-pats.  His colleague Tapio (Björn Gustaffsson) the science teacher, is young, but already deadened by the pain of a failed marriage. Both seem to be travelling abroad to get away from themselves.

 Steve Coogan as Michell with Juan Salvador 

Michell turns up in Buenos Aires to start his job at the height of the Montoneros terrorist activities, with the Peronist government unable to keep control.  Michell wakes one morning to find there has been a Military coup d’état (led by Jorge Videla, Admiral Emilio Massera and Brigadier General Orlando Agosti), that has ousted Isabel (Isabelita) Perón.   Michell has always made a point of not engaging with politics on any level, but now he starts to find this attitude harder to maintain.  

 Alfonsina  Carrocio  as Sofía Álvarez, Steve Coogan and Vivian El Jaber as María

Michell’s class shows zero interest in learning. Personally, he is not that bothered despite feeling frustrated by their attitude. Cynically, he probably remembers he was not far different himself at one time.  But the result, nevertheless, is that he is existing rather than living.  When his marriage floundered following the tragic death of his daughter, he started travelling the world teaching English, having started in Chicago then Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil and now Argentina: -

“… making my way down… geographically speaking…!”  He tells Headmaster Buckle (Jonathan Pryce) who is determined to run a strictly organized college- 

… “he thinks he is Napoleon” says his colleague Tapio, the science teacher.  

Juan Salvador

Steve Coogan as Michell,  Vivian El Jaber as María and David Herrero as Diego

For Tom Michell however, everything is turned on its head following a short holiday in Punta del Este, Uruguay when he rescues an oil-covered penguin. His attempts to return it to the sea fail dismally as the young Penguin attaches itself with great determination to his new saviour.

“I was [only] trying to impress a woman I wanted to have sex with. I ended up with no sex and a penguin”

The travails that Michell has to go through to reluctantly take his penguin back to Buenos Aires and the college, in secret, take him into unknown territory. Thanks to his new friend however, he finally finds the way to grab the interest, even awakening the fascination of his young charges, by secretly including the penguin in the lessons.  As his awareness of the political situation in Argentina grows, so does his choice of literature and poetry, as he selects more challenging authors to study in class, to the headmaster’s chagrin. 

You will have to choose: “It is either you or the penguin!” says the horrified headmaster upon discovering the penguin living in Michell’s apartment at the college.

“Ah, so if I go, you keep the penguin?”

Needless to say, they both remain. 

It is not only the young students who benefit. This penguin, Juan Salvador (named after Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach) turns out to be a good listener and he charms his way into the coldest hearts.  Meanwhile, politics in Argentina grind on, and Michell is brutally awakened to the realities of life under a dictatorship, saved only by his contacts and nationality. 

Jonathan Pryce as Headmaster Buckle at the Rugby match

The college maid/ cleaner María (Vivian El Jaber) deserves a special mention for her outstanding performance. An award- winning actress she also appeared in “Chinese Take away “2011 with Ricardo Darín, and “Educando a Nina” (Educating Nina) a TV series from 2016.

Steve Coogan, who plays Tom Michell, was born in Manchester in 1965. Having started out in theatre, he first gained a reputation when he got the chance to do voices for “Spitting Image." This was followed by working with Armando Iannucci for “On the Hour.”    He has garnered four Bafta Awards, a Golden Globe, three British Comedy Awards and two Oscar nominations. What a CV! 

Steve Coogan’s performance in ‘The Penguin Lessons’ is persuasive and sympathetic. We travel with Michell on this journey that is transforming much of his life in so many ways.  Coogan’s gift for humour prevails, and even though there is no ‘Alan Patridge’ in sight, the ability to make us laugh and think, is as vibrant as ever.

Director Peter Catteneo

This humour also comes from the director, Peter Cattaneo, who brought us comic gems like The Full Monty (1997). The Penguin lessons may not be a laugh-out-loud comedy but there is a wonderful feel for gentle irony and humour  at every turn.

This is a delightful family film.

The Penguin Lessons (2024) by director Peter Cattaneo is on general release.

Comedy / Drama               Sony Classics 

Based on the book of the same name by Tom Michell (2016) / Screenwriter: Jeff Pope

Producers: Rory Aitken, Ben Pugh, Robert Walak, Adrián Guerra and Andrew Noble /Composer: Federico Jusid / DOP: Xavi Giménez /Editor: Robin Peters /Sound Designer: Oriol Tarragó .

Filmed primarily in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria- and Catalonia SP / Bs As footage was archival.

CAST:

Steve Coogan: Tom Michell /Jonathan Pryce: Headmaster Buckle / Bruno Blas: armed guard /Ramiro Blas: secret police / Bjorn Gustaffsson: Tapio, fellow tutor /Ramiro (student)Hugo Fuentes / Sofia: Alfonsina Carrocio / Carina: Uruguayan love interest, Micaela Breque / Maria: Vivian El Jaber /Diego: David Herrero.

 Film stills courtesy of Lionsgate Films