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Australia, United States · 2021
1h 35m
Director Glendyn Ivin
Starring Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Griffin Murray-Johnston, Felix Cameron
Genre Drama, Family
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Based on the best-selling book of the same name, the film tells the story of a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her paralyzed. When an unlikely ally enters her world in the form of an injured baby magpie, its arrival makes a profound difference in her life.
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Barry Hertz
This isn’t some cutsey, bordering-on-laughable inspiration porn. It is more patient, messy and dead-serious than its sight-gag of a poster might have you believe. This doesn’t mean it’s a great movie – just a passable one.
It’s a handsomely made and sturdy little movie, mercifully devoid of cloying sentimentality, an old-fashioned throwback for families in search of something safe and superhero-free that might not sing quite as loud as it could have but flies just about high enough nonetheless.
The Hollywood Reporter by John DeFore
Naomi Watts and Andrew Lincoln bring dignity and seriousness to what might've been a painfully sappy tale of rebirth.
Dramas pile up, some obvious, some not, and Penguin Bloom meanders a bit before coming in to land. The path there might be predictable, but there is still something beautiful when it really takes flight.
The Guardian by Luke Buckmaster
There is a great, moving story to tell about the real Sam Bloom – but this film only gets part of the way there.
The Playlist by Marshall Shaffer
Watts certainly makes that internal struggle compelling without resorting to overwrought physical transformation.
The A.V. Club by Mike D'Angelo
Because Watts is a gifted actor, Penguin Bloom does sometimes convey paraplegia’s emotional trials.
Chicago Sun-Times by Richard Roeper
Watts is such a chameleon of an actress, such a pro at slipping into a vast array of roles without drawing attention to the mechanics of her work, that we almost take for granted how damn good she is — and she delivers beautiful and resonant work as Sam.
Once that narrative path becomes clear, Penguin Bloom never really surprises, delivering a series of heartfelt but predictable story beats.
Shrewdly, Watts goes for something subtle and soft here — instead of clichéd garishness, her performance hinges on her doleful gaze and melancholic tinge, ultimately helping Penguin Bloom honor its real-life character’s journey with some respect.
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