I’m not sure when the tradition started, but for years my family has gone together to see a movie on Thanksgiving Day. This year we went to see Happy Feet.

This adorable movie seems to have been inspired by the documentary The March of the Penguins (a spectacular film and one that makes it even more confusing to me that some could think there is no Creator). Anyway, Happy Feet takes penguin cuteness and adds human qualities, such as talking and personalities. The girls in our family were “awing” over these loveable characters.

The film begins with Memphis (Hugh Jackman) and Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) falling in love. Shortly after, the moms go off to hunt for food while the husbands stay behind to incubate the egg. Memphis is dedicated to being a great dad and keeping his egg safe through the extremely harsh weather conditions.

But when Mumble (Elijah Wood) is born, it’s obvious that he’s different. You see, emperor penguins find their mates by singing their “heart songs.”

But Mumble cannot sing. What he can do is dance. He can’t stop his feet from moving. But dancing is not normal, so the other penguins tell him to stop.

Mumble tries hard to comply but cannot contain his joy and dances his heart out. The penguin elders are convinced that his dancing has caused the fish shortage. He has cursed the entire group, they believe, so they send him away for his “rebellion.”

Mumble is determined to discover who is taking their fish. Along the way, he makes new friends—penguins that accept him for who he is. You’ll laugh out loud at the antics of his friends.

Mumble perseveres and … well, that’s all I want to give away. Happy Feet is a fun, hilarious movie that seamlessly mixes real-life scenes and people with animation. Adults and children alike can enjoy this film.

But I want to go back to the scene when the penguin elders sent Mumble away. Maybe you’ll think this is a stretch, but when I was listening to the elders’ conversation, I couldn’t help but think they were treating Mumble the same way that the church sometimes treats people.

Mumble wasn’t like everyone else. He looked different. He didn’t act like everyone else, and his form of expression was considered odd, strange and even wrong. He was told to conform and when he couldn’t, he was rejected.

So many times the church rejects those who don’t look like we do (do we really have a specific look?) or act exactly like we do. We think everyone has to be a certain way to know God. Yes, there is a proper manner and order of things, but we can’t concern ourselves with trying to clean up people before they get saved.

It’s more important that we act Christian than look Christian.

What really gets to me though is that the filmmakers got it right. Their main message wasn’t about the church or Christians (the film is pro-environment). But it wouldn’t surprise me if the filmmakers said their inspiration for that scene came from an experience they or someone they know had with the church.

The good news is that we can change. When the group accepted Mumble and his gift, there was a new sense of unity. And, of course, when Mumble was able to be himself, he experienced ultimate freedom and joy.

So, this little pro-earth film packs a hidden punch to the church that hopefully will make us take notice, admit our mistakes and change. We have to love people just as they are and allow God to bring about the changes He deems necessary—and it will likely be us He changes first. 

This film is rated PG for several instances of crude humor.