MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS (Rated PG)

Just last week, while reviewing “Judy Moody,” I was lamenting, albeit in an oblique fashion, the relative lack of family films released for the start of the summer season.

Now along comes the elastic-faced comedian Jim Carrey to save the day in his almost trademark role of a workaholic father (think “Liar, Liar”), needing redemption for his lack of attention to parental duties.

“Mr. Popper’s Penguins” finds Jim Carrey’s Mr. Popper as a sleek, shark-like real estate developer in a constant hunt to acquire landmark Manhattan properties to satisfy a trio of demanding partners.

Mr. Popper is grappling with daddy issues, his own and those imposed on his estranged children, teenager Janie (Madeline Carroll) and grade-schooler Billy (Maxwell Perry Colton).

Having all of the perks of a highly paid executive, Mr. Popper lives in an expansive Park Avenue apartment, though it is sterile and cold, which makes it a perfect abode for penguins (more on that later).

Except for the occasional weekend visit with his kids, Mr. Popper’s only reliable companion appears to be his assistant Pippi (Ophelia Lovibond), who has an alliterative propensity for saying words that start with the letter “p.”

Apparently, Mr. Popper yearns for the company of his ex-wife Amanda (an underused Carla Gugino), who has a new boyfriend, but just might be open to rekindling a relationship with Mr. Popper, just because this is, after all, a family film.

As for Popper’s own paternal issues, they concern the absence during his childhood of his peripatetic explorer father who constantly wandered the globe in search of adventure and discovery.

In an odd parting gesture, Popper’s late dad arranged for the delivery of six Gentoo penguins to Popper’s high-rise abode. Conveniently, they arrive during winter.

The birds quickly acquire their own nicknames. Captain is the obvious leader of the pack. Nimrod, Stinky, Loudy, Bitey and Lovey are appropriately named for their personality traits and/or character flaws.

Inexplicably, Popper resists the pleadings of a persistent zookeeper (Clark Gregg) to move the birds to a proper sanctuary.

Instead, Mr. Popper turns his swank apartment into a makeshift residence for penguins, letting in all the cold winter air, setting up an ice rink and allowing his avian friends to watch a constant loop of Charlie Chaplin movies.

Suddenly, Popper attains the cachet of being a really cool dad in the eyes of his own children. After all, the penguins are adorable, even if they poop at the most inopportune moments.

Loosely based on the classic 1938 children’s book, “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” as directed by Mark Waters, allows the lovable, elegant birds to upstage the veteran comedian.

Regardless of whether the screen time is used by real penguins or CGI counterparts, the birds steal every scene, from sliding down the circular ramp of the Guggenheim Museum to stopping New York traffic as they march in formation.

Owing to this film’s old-fashioned sensibilities, there are no real surprises in store. Anyone older than a fifth grader knows the story is predictable, but that is all to the good.

All that matters, in the end, is that Jim Carrey delivers the comic goods with a wonderful assist from adorable furry creatures that are irresistibly charming.

“Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” delightfully funny and heartwarming, is easily enjoyed by all members of the family, young and old.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

The story of a naïve, small-town Wisconsin native sent by his company to attend a regional insurance convention in the “big city” of Cedar Rapids, Iowa remains the funniest movie of the year.

“Cedar Rapids” follows Ed Helms, of “The Hangover” fame, as the unsuspecting, inexperienced salesman who gets caught up in the most unexpected shenanigans.

Helms’ mild-mannered Tim Lippe falls in with the wrong crowd as they cause mayhem at the most unconventional business convention.

“Cedar Rapids: Super Awesome Edition” arrives in Blu-ray and DVD. The DVD extras include many deleted scenes, a gag reel, and documentary-style features on certain key elements.

The Blu-ray disc contains additional highlights on the film’s assortment of various oddball characters, from the lovable to the truly frightening.

“Cedar Rapids” is a wildly funny and undeniably infectious comedy that makes it absolutely essential that one should acquire the “Super Awesome Edition.”

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.