Kangaroo

Kate Woods's 2025 Australian film is about a former television personality stranded in a town outside Alice Springs. There he meets Charlie, a twelve-year-old Indigenous girl, and the two begin rescuing and caring for orphaned joeys. The film works within the family-film mould but gets two things right. First, Charlie is built as someone with her own knowledge and authority rather than as a device for the adult's education. Second, the Outback is not turned into a postcard; drought, distance and scarcity of resources stay visible. The animal care sections are the most concrete part and rest on actual rehabilitation practice. Rachel House takes a supporting role. The narrative proceeds predictably, and no surprises should be expected. Who it's for: families and young viewers who like films about animals. Who it's not for: adult viewers wanting a complex story; the film has clearly identified its audience.