BIG SCREEN: Mr. Popper’s Penguins Revieux (Rated PG)

Have you ever read the book Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater? I hadn’t, so I ducked into a bookstore and skimmed it after I saw the movie. Didn’t take much more than a skim to see that all the two seem to have in common are penguins and the use of the name “Mr. Popper.” That’s pretty much where the similarity ends. Seems silly to even call it by the same name, but whatever.

In the movie, Jim Carrey plays a really smarmy, selfish, heartless corporate guy who’s divorced, yet still somewhat friendly with his cool ex-wife, but his kids don’t trust him because he’s let them down so many times. Let’s stop right there for a second. Does it seem like you’ve seen this movie before and you know exactly where it’s heading, despite minor changes? Ever seen Liar, Liar? I swear, it’s the exact same character and set-up. But, instead of his son wishing he can never lie again, he’s taught some life lessons by some super cute penguins that his recently deceased, absentee, explorer/father left him. His dilemma: how to remain an evil corporate shark while hosting a colony/waddle/rookery (I looked it up) of heartwarming penguins in his apartment?

Here’s where it actually gets good: the visual effects are totally seamless. You really can’t tell which ones are real penguins and which are computer-generated. Either way, the little waddlers are really entertaining and adorable, even with all the poo and fart jokes. A lot of Carrey’s scenes with them are very sweet and funny, but then it happens. I know most people either love or hate him, and I usually lean toward the love camp, but his sporadic antics in the movie are clunky and distracting. They’re totally out of character for the slick Mr. Popper – but vintage Carrey. It’s as though the director tried his best to hold him back, but every now and then he just said, “Screw it. Go, Jim. Be rubbery and over the top. Get it out of your system!”

This may be of no interest to anyone but me, but I was shocked when I noticed the director’s name: Mark Waters. I wondered if maybe there’s more than one in the business, because it couldn’t be the same Mark Waters I interviewed years ago for a truly twisted and awesome Parker Posey movie called House of Yes. But, alas, they’re one and the same. (And his brother wrote the movie Heathers!) I hate to bust his chops for selling out -- I mean, I know the dude’s gotta make a living and all but, yikes! I was also surprised when I saw there were three people listed as writers. Three times the brain power and they still couldn’t come up with a better story? Yikes, again.

Okay. It’s not a horrible movie. It’s not even a particularly bad movie. But it could’ve been so much better with a little originality... or if they'd stuck with the original story. It totally feels like people were just phoning it in for a paycheck (like I wouldn’t do the same thing, given the chance), but your kids will like it if they can stick it out until the cute penguins show up. Oh, and they film a bunch at the Guggenheim Museum and Tavern on the Green in New York, which is not as good as being there, but really fun to look at. (Have you checked airfares lately? I’ll take what I can get, people.)

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