Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 80 Ratings

  • Starring: Angela Lansbury, Carla Gugino, Jim Carrey
  • Summary: An adaptation of the beloved 1938 children's book, which won the 1939 Newbery Award. Mr. Popper is a house painter whose dreams of Arctic exploration prompt him to write letters to real explorers. One of them sends him a penguin, which he keeps in the icebox. Before he knows it, the painter has a litter of 12 beaked birds. They eat voraciously, leading him to form Popper's Performing Penguins, a stage act that goes on tour and creates mayhem at every stop. (20th Century Fox) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 30
  2. Negative: 5 out of 30
  1. Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    Jun 18, 2011
    75
    The good news is that, even though one must pace oneself through the dull parts, usually involving Mr. Popper's dullish family, he's in pretty good form whenever he's getting physical.
  2. Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    Jun 17, 2011
    60
    There is something infectious about the old-fashioned innocence of Mark Waters' comedy.
  3. Reviewed by: James White
    Jul 31, 2011
    60
    Sweet-natured, undemanding family fun.
  4. Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    Jun 16, 2011
    38
    The movie stars Jim Carrey, who is in his pleasant mode. It would have helped if he were in his manic mode, although it's hard to get a rise out of a penguin.

See all 30 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 32
  2. Negative: 3 out of 32
  1. this movie suckz and is gay it's suckz so bad in hate it it sucks and is annoying it's gay as hell y wood anybody watch it don't ever watch this movie
  2. First off, I would give this a 8.75 out of 10. Great family movie. Acting is good. Jim carrey does a great job in the movie. Score is well, and sweet. Story is good as well. Overall, this is a good, nice, family movie that you and your family should watch. Expand
  3. My nine year old son, who has read the book, chose to see Popper. He loved it. I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by the family friendly movie. Carrey has a good time with the role and adds some solid laugh time to the movie. The Penguins are a hoot and wonderfully rendered, although they are sometimes unnecessarily spastic in the background. Some characters could have been much better developed (or left out) but move still accomplishes its goal of entertaining folks. Expand
  4. This is family entertainment in its lowest form. I got a few clever quips from Carrey but, for the most part, the writers took the easy way out and filled the movie with the lowest form of humor. Hell, even the farting sound effects seemed cartoonish and out of place. It's probably my fault expecting a comedy classic out of something titled "Mr. Popper's Penguins" but even the story itself was disappointing. The writers brought up so many plot elements that were never mentioned again. Also, the child actors were terrible and the adults just looked like they were trying to make a quick buck. Which, judging by the product, is exactly what they were doing. Expand

See all 32 User Reviews