My Penguin Friend is an utterly likable and disarming film. It’s clear that this is one instance where the words “inspired by a true story” are not just movie marketing hyperbole.

The real story of Joao and Dindim was always good enough for a big screen version, and while “My Penguin Friend” might inflate some parts of this particular fish tale, the result is the same: true feeling and a cute little guy to help share them.

It’s an earnest, crowd-pleasing family film – nothing snarky or self-referential, no on-the-nose needle drops - just a sweet, beautifully made movie that earns the emotion it’ll surely draw from its viewers.

This sweet little movie won’t change your life, but as a story about people – and animals! – whose lives were changed for the better, it will warm your heart a little.