Ah yes: the opportunistic city slicker who exits the fast lane and rediscovers the important things in life. This is usually achieved via interactions with other people: in Rain Man, for instance, Tom Cruise’s money-hungry collectibles dealer spends time with his estranged brother, who inspires him to see the world differently. In the family film Kangaroo, Ryan Corr’s character Chris nurses an adorable joey back to health – a process that reinvigorates him spiritually and provides the audience with many cute-tastic moments: “I WANT ONE, I WANT ONE!”
Director Kate Woods – helming her first feature since 2000’s Looking for Alibrandi – crafts a redemption narrative, though the film isn’t prepared to really sully its protagonist. Chris is hardly a villain, though he does work in the seventh circle of hell (commonly known as “breakfast television”) and triggers a situation that leads to a dolphin’s death after he jumps into the ocean and attempts to save it (this scene should remind all youngsters to never attempt anything brave).
