The director, Mark Waters, moves things briskly along and lets the charming absurdity of penguin behavior rise to its inherently good-natured heights.

The good news is that, even though one must pace oneself through the dull parts, usually involving Mr. Popper's dullish family, [Carrey's] in pretty good form whenever he's getting physical

It's an old-fashioned movie, gentling its way toward satisfying familial reunion, fueled by almost always endearing penguin antics.

Fortunately, the movie throws adults a few bones along the way; this is by no means an unpleasant film to watch, and the Ice Age short that runs with it is funny, too.

Thanks to plucky performances and some perfectly precious pets, "Mr. Poppers Penguins" provides a pleasant, if obviously packaged, pursuit.

A surprisingly touching, low-key ballad of middle-aged male regret disguised as a kiddie comedy replete with poop and fart jokes and soccer balls launched at Popper's crotch.

Mr. Popper's Penguins bears almost no resemblance to the classic children's book of the same name. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.