7/10
Genial family movie is based on the true story of a Brazilian fisherman who, in 2012, welcomed in an injured penguin he named "Dindim." The little penguin was nursed back to health and managed to successfully rejoin his migration route. He then returned the favor by coming back to the fisherman for some eight consecutive years before their visits seemingly ended, but not before becoming a worldwide viral sensation of sorts.
"My Penguin Friend" features a breezy retelling of that well-publicized story, utilizing Jean Reno to great effect as the lonely fisherman who receives a spark in the form of his cute penguin visitor -- it's colorfully shot and provides solid entertainment for kids and adults alike. My only quibble was the unnecessary use of a fictional dramatic device -- the death of the fisherman's young son decades before -- and some odd pacing/storytelling elements that have no payoff (such as the friend of the fisherman's late son and her daughter, who feel like they should be part of the story but never get there). It also peters out at the finish line and just sort of stops instead of ending.
Still, this is a heartfelt picture worth seeing; it's currently streaming for rental/purchase from the usual vendors.