Glendyn Ivin's "Penguin Bloom"

Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

This film walks a fine line between pathos and drama, rarely losing its footing despite events that could easily tip it into sentimentality.

The story: a nurse and mother of three boys is paralyzed from the waist down after a fall. Physical rehabilitation offers little hope; she is expected to be wheelchair-dependent for the rest of her life.

We watch as her mental health and family relationships begin to deteriorate. It’s painful to watch, but then an unusual event occurs that gradually reshapes the family’s outlook: one of the boys brings home a nestless baby magpie.

Reluctantly, the family agrees to care for it. Although the woman’s physical condition does not improve, she and her family slowly adjust to the bird’s presence. The magpie becomes as beloved as a family dog or cat, and as anyone who has loved a pet knows, the bonds between humans and animals are very real.

Still, the film does not sugarcoat the family’s emotional trauma caused by the mother’s ongoing struggles. That honesty is one of its greatest strengths. It effectively maintains that “fine line” as the woman and her family learn to live with her condition.

As improbable as the bird-centered storyline may sound, it is based on the real-life experience of an Australian family. Naomi Watts delivers a powerful performance as the mother, capturing both despair and resilience. I’ve always admired her work—especially her extraordinary turn as Dougie’s wife in David Lynch’s superb Twin Peaks: The Return. Here, set against the stunning backdrop of a seaside Australian town, Watts anchors a moving adult drama that balances beauty with pain and offers little in the way of sugar coating.

Review copyright 2025 by Dennis D. McDonald