Tom Popper grew up having very little interaction with his father who was off exploring the world.

When he grows up he spends most of time on his work and ignores his children. One day his father sends him an unusual gift: six penguins.

Popper can't help but wonder why his father would send him penguins. He tries to get rid of them.

But when his children and ex-wife show up to celebrate his son's birthday, the kids are taken with the penguins.

And Popper finally gets to connect with his kids and his work suffers...

I really have no idea why this film bombed so badly. It's quite a return to form for the actor, after making lot of dark movies which possibly turned his audience away.

This does reminds me heavily though of Liar, Liar. it basically has the same premise, nut a different macguffin that changes his ways.

In both films he is distant with his child/children because of work, and it's obvious that the wife still fancies him despite going out with the comedy boyfriend.

That film worked, but was more slapstick, here the slapstick is left purely to the CGI penguins, and Carrey plays more of a straight man in this.

The penguins are hilarious, if sometimes blatant CGI, and the family edge isn't as sickly sweet as you'd expect.

Angela Lansbury turns up as a kind of fairy godmother who makes Carrey appreciate family etc.

It's great family fun, and with the exception of the secretary who says words with the same letter, all the cast are great.

Forget the reviews and the box office. If you like late nineties Carrey, this is for you.

Jim Carrey is part of the title character in Mr. Popper's Penguins. The other part of the title are six not so adorable penguins, a last present from his father before he passed away. We see in a brief prologue with his character as a chjild, that young Tom Popper Jr. was a lonely kid who communicated with dad back in the 70s via a ham radio set. The senior Popper was always promising to come home but never quite makes it.

The grownup Popper that Carrey portrays is an absentee father to his two kids who is obsessed with the almighty dollar and is deal maker in the tradition of Gordon Gekko. His assignment is to acquire Tavern On The Green from owner Angela Lansbury for his real estate mogul firm. She's a formidable adversary and it won't be easy.

Then the penguins arrive at his penthouse and as the saying goes, the little birds kind of grow on you. And his kids especially his young son now think their dad is one cool dude. Of course he has to keep the apartment suitably cold for the penguins. And it's not like throwing down kitty litter to deal with some of their hygienic issues.

Even estranged wife Carla Gugino slowly reawakens to an interest in Carrey. But he's got to deal with the zoo officials as well who want the birds.

Why with Carrey's wealth and credit he didn't get a place in the country and build a proper compound for the penguins is something I'm still trying to figure. But he comes through in style.

Best scene in the film is the penguins following Carrey to an affair Lansbury is throwing at the Guggenheim museum. They crash the society party and really upend things.

Mr. Popper's Penguins is a delightful comedy with Carrey at top form with both his fellow humans and those scene stealing penguins.

Mr. Popper (Jim Carrey) grew up with an absentee explorer father and becomes a cold hearted property buyer. He is divorced with two kids. One day, his long gone father sends him a penguin. He calls to return the penguin but communication problem causes 5 more penguins to be sent.

It's a likable kids movie. There's nothing mean spirited here. On the other hand, there's nothing edgy or original. It's rather bland. Jim Carrey tones down this character which he has played many times before. He limits his over reaching gyrations but still has the physical pratfalls. In fact, everything seems toned down and a bit of a bore. The penguins are a marvel of CGI but they lack individualism and personality. Their artificialness is never far from the mind.