The grumpy teacher Tom (Steve Coogan), a true Englishman, travels to Buenos Aires in the 1970s to teach English at a boys' boarding school. Amidst the unrest of the military coup, he is confronted with rebellious pupils and a challenging everyday life. But an unexpected encounter changes everything: when he saves the life of the penguin Juan Salvador (Baba and Richard) on the oil-polluted coast of Uruguay, the bird stubbornly refuses to leave his side. Without further ado, the bird moves onto Tom's terrace, becomes a loyal companion and a confidant with flippers for the pupils - because penguins are not only cute, but also great listeners...