DNF

One of the most trite films ever. It's not the kind of movie I enjoy trashing, because it's based on a true story, but I can't get past how predictable, sappy, corny, and amateur _Penguin Bloom_ is. Seriously, it is just a story of a woman being sad she can't walk anymore, and then there's a bird. Yes, the event was tragic, but it just isn't profound or exceptional enough to be a 95 mins film.

For a film that wants to be taken very seriously, I just couldn't. It's so self-serious and self-important about everything, but I felt disconnected from it, and it didn't work for me on any emotional level. The story is so very familiar, it reminds me of every single other _"overcoming a tragic accident"_ movie. Taking on a standard structure from the very beginning, and doesn’t do much to make it interesting. I think the filmmaking, script, acting, characters - literally anything about this is just fine and tolerable, nothing that pops.
The characters lack any depth, the movie should’ve spent more time getting to know them. The focus is too much time on the mom, she is the main character yet outside of Sam's pain, you don't get to know who she is, thus making it hard to feel for her.

_Penguin Bloom_ was so desperately trying to be a tearjerker, with inspirational music every 12 seconds, but it felt shallow and boring.

By the way, I'm very surprised the Twitter mob is not angry Naomi Watts is playing a disabled character. Like, I simply can't understand their rules. So selective.