Kangaroo

Anyone possessing an ambiguous stance on kangaroos is, in fact, 107 minutes of cinema away from falling ardently in love with the bouncy marsupials. They – along with their more human companions – endear themselves warmly in Kate Wood’s comic family adventure, Kangaroo, most particularly the puppy-like array of spindly joeys.

Slick reporter Chris Masterman (Ryan Corr), cancelled in the city following an unfortunate wildlife interaction, winds his begrudging way into the outback seeking a new gig from a less particular employer. He finds himself stranded in the remote town of Silver Gum, where the locals, though a charismatic and friendly mix of folk, are nevertheless not altogether ready to welcome him. Among them, Charlie (Lily Whiteley), whose love for kangaroos and other local wildlife – a passion shared with her deceased father – far surpasses any wish to attend school or foster ties with the other local kids.

While the viewer is, in time, eased into the storytelling in a very welcome way, this film takes some time to warm up. Not only is the exposition a little clunky, but the script and even the performances are at first a bit wooden. This passes, however, and a delightful family-friendly film emerges, full of generationally accessible humour, lovable characters and warming themes of community and redemption. The scenery is spectacular, an extraordinary world brilliantly captured, and the soundtrack rumbles away, subtle and effective. Even the CGI – presumably not backed by the budget of a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster – is thoroughly up to scratch in its fashioning of Roger, the brawny and feisty adult kangaroo familiar to the town.

Kangaroo is a delightful family feature, adeptly manufactured around a heart-warming plot based on the true story of Chris Barns, who founded a kangaroo sanctuary in Alice Springs; one to find time for this half-term break.