Penguin Bloom
Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): January 27, 2021 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
54
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
12
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperJan 26, 2021
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. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonJan 27, 2021
Penguin Bloom is alternately despairing and inspiring—more of the former than the latter, I found, simply because of the production’s honesty, and the lifetime of difficulty the Blooms’ story suggests. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinJan 27, 2021
Aided by its deft performances, the film manages its tricky emotional territory with aplomb, rarely dipping into sentimentality or easy conciliations. Read full review
67
IndieWireKate ErblandSep 16, 2020
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. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Barry HertzJan 25, 2021
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. Read full review
60
Time OutStephen A RussellJan 29, 2021
This is a warm-hearted account of an adult’s painful journey, aided by a chirping counterpart. Read full review
60
The GuardianBenjamin LeeSep 16, 2020
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. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeSep 16, 2020
Naomi Watts and Andrew Lincoln bring dignity and seriousness to what might've been a painfully sappy tale of rebirth. Read full review
50
New York PostJohnny OleksinskiJan 29, 2021
Subtlety is kicked to the curb in favor of volcanic drama, and nary a moment goes by without some screaming or an inspiring message. Read full review
50
CNNBrian LowryJan 27, 2021
Penguin Bloom is harmless enough as family fare goes, which counts for something, with an inspirational message for these trying times. The real drawback lies in how the story flits around in the telling and seems unable to choose a lane, leaving a movie that feels as if it's neither fish nor fowl. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleCarla MeyerJan 27, 2021
Penguin is the film’s most fleshed-out character. We know the bird’s origin story, but nobody else’s. Read full review
50
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisJan 27, 2021
Gamely navigating a script that ushers her from seaside despair to hilltop elation, Watts gives a touching and blessedly understated performance, assisted by Sam Chiplin’s warmly expansive cinematography. As for the bundle of scene-stealing magpies (patiently trained by Paul Mander) who collectively bring Penguin to life, they’re a delight. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloJan 26, 2021
Because Watts is a gifted actor, Penguin Bloom does sometimes convey paraplegia’s emotional trials. Read full review
50
Screen DailyTim GriersonSep 16, 2020
Once that narrative path becomes clear, Penguin Bloom never really surprises, delivering a series of heartfelt but predictable story beats. Read full review
42
The PlaylistMarshall ShafferSep 16, 2020
Watts certainly makes that internal struggle compelling without resorting to overwrought physical transformation. Read full review
40
The GuardianLuke BuckmasterJan 20, 2021
There is a great, moving story to tell about the real Sam Bloom – but this film only gets part of the way there. Read full review
40
VarietyTomris LafflySep 16, 2020
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. Read full review
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