There’s a brand of British comedy that consists of a character humiliating themselves in amusing ways over and over. The original British version of Ricky Gervais’ The Office is an example. Steve Coogan’s character Alan Partridge, an inept television personality an DJ, is another one.
I’ve never enjoyed Alan Partridge much, partly because of the serial humiliations the character endures, and partly because the premise feels cheap. When I decided to watch a recent in-flight movie starring Coogan, I didn’t know whether to expect more of the same, and I was presently surprised.
The Penguin Lessons, which takes place during the coup d’etat in 1970s Argentina, is lovely, and this is to a large degree because of Coogan’s acting. Coogan’s character is an English teacher at an Argentinian boy’s school, where he has to deal with the challenge of teaching during violent political upheaval. One review felt that the movie didn’t sufficiently engage with the coup and the military dictatorship in Argentina. I disagree, it does a fantastic job of telling a story that is set at the time and place of a fascist dictatorship, paying its respects, but not being about fascism. There are other movies that are, but reviewers should talk about the movie that’s actually on the screen, not the one they wish had been made.
Nehaveigur 