Buckley's Chance

This movie, set in an Australian Outback which simply does not exist, employs just about every inaccurate Aussie stereotype and cliché that ever existed as well as a lot more tried and true and tired Hollywood tropes. This movie is obviously intended for undiscerning kids and overseas audiences that don't know much at all about Australia.

The movie centers around an American mum.... sorry, Mom .... and her obnoxious kid who are forced, for reasons that aren't 100 percent clear, to leave New York and travel to Australia and visit the sheep station (although we never actually see any sheep, or cows for that matter) of the kid's crusty grandfather and the Mom's father-in-law. Grandpa is played by Bill Nighy, who is always enjoyable on screen, with the definite exception of this movie. Why Bill Nighy is in this picture in the first place is a real mystery. I mean that are no end of good Australian actors of the same vintage who could have played this part and played it better. Nighy's performance is one of the many irritating things about this movie. His grandfather is so laid back, so laconic that he's just short of being catatonic. Honestly, you just want to shake him. None of the other actors is very good either, to be honest, with the definite exception of Kelton Pell as the ranch hand Jules. Pell is a delight and a joy to watch and it is sad that he is not used more in this film. It would have been a vast improvement. The young actor playing the kid, Ridley, doesn't look set for a long screen career based on this. Still he's young and has time to improve. As a protagonist, Ridley fails to elicit sympathy from the audience. He's a stinker.

Australian viewers, will be gob smacked with the version of the Outback this film presents. There are vast, empty distances as in the real Outback, but there are also wide, raging rivers with deep waterfalls, sharing the space with deep open-cut mines, a large dam, a medium sized town and a suspicious number of clean, well built and well maintained buildings scattered through the desert. The fauna of the area is amazing too. There are no emus or kangaroos, but there are pythons and snakes that sound remarkably like rattlesnakes. Also there are dingoes. Some of them are nasty, vicious creatures, more like wolves, but then there are others, well one in particular, whose temperament and skills make him more akin to Lassie or Rin Tin Tin. To see grown men in this movie cowering in the presence of the last mentioned animal , who looks more like a whippet than a dangerous canine, will make you laugh.

Look, bottom line is this isn't a bad film, but it definitely isn't a good one. The kids will probably enjoy it and adults will either find it wholesome, clean, innocuous fun, or, depending on how well you know Australia, it will either make you groan or laugh. You have been warned.

Ridley (Milan Burch) is dealing with the loss of his father, who died one year ago as a hero while saving three people. His mother, Gloria (Victoria Hill), decides to leave New York and move to Western Australia, where the two can start fresh and live with Ridley's grandfather, Spencer (Bill Nighy). Naturally, Ridley would prefer to keep to himself and has no interest in the big move or connecting with his unknown grandfather Spencer.

Upon meeting, Spencer gives the appearance of being an old and grumpy man. Still, overall, he is relatively kind towards Ridley and wishes to help him adjust to his new lifestyle in the outback, even offering to take him camping. Spencer also gives a warning of the dangers to Ridley, explaining to him about nearby Dingos. Ridley is put off by his support.

One night, while Ridley and Spencer are camping in the outback, the two have a disagreement, and Ridley walks away. Soon, he finds a wounded Dingo stuck in a trap. Ridley frees the dingo, and the two share an unlikely moment. Unfortunately, the dingo runs away into the night, and later, both Ridley and Spencer go home. The following day, however, Spencer finds Ridley has disappeared and possibly run away from home. Now Ridley is lost in the outback and reunited with the same dingo he just saved. Together they hope to escape and survive the dangers of the outback while Spencer and Ridley's mother begin their search.

Buckley's Chance is best classed as an Australian family film with little moments of heartfelt drama. The film is filled with great messages and positive vibes right from the opening. There are also attempts at humour along the way, primarily thanks to the film's dim-witted bad guys.

Performances are wonderful. Bill Nighy once again proves, as always, that he is a stunning actor (seriously, Bill, call me, let's catch up for a coffee!). The acting debut of Milan Burch, who plays the leading role of Ridley, was most undoubtedly impressive and pleasing to see. Based on the young actor's work here, I am confident we will see more of him in films to come.

The film's music and soundtrack score were rather touching and pleasing throughout the duration, with only a couple of minor moments felt overdramatic compared to what was on-screen. Side performances from Victoria Hill and Kelton Pell were also great. There were no significant concerns with the film other than, as already stated, the bad guys who I found far too silly. Again, this is a family drama film and somewhat to be expected. The opening, which introduces the character of Spencer, was also questionable, and I felt this introduction could have been far more impacting. Still, thankfully this was forgivable as the film progressed.

Overall, I had a wonderful time watching this film. It's a touching, adventurous, and light-hearted story filled with positive messages about overcoming hurts, surviving, and, most importantly, family. The performance from Bill Nighy is brilliant, along with newcomer Milan Burch who also leaves a positive impression. This is undoubtedly an Australian film worth supporting as it reminds the world that even when you're feeling lost, you are never truly alone.

7.4/10 - Walkden Entertainment.

The first alarm bell went off during the credits when I saw that the writer, the producer and the director were the one person. This lack of normal creative filters that a group approach provides can often lead to problems, and this film suffered some clangers. The film's biggest attraction (Bill Nighy) became its biggest problem. His rich upper class English accent was there in all it's glory. I love Bill, but he should never have been cast in this role. I bailed when he met his fellow outback farmers in a café and they all had appropriate broad Aussie accents making the whole thing farcical.

The other clanger was making him a sheep farmer. The property was set in marginal cattle country in the "deep outback". Who was checking these fundamentals?

Just no. As an Aussie I found this totally awful to the point that I had to turn it off after the first 20 minutes. Every cringe worthy cliche was thrown at the script. Bill Nighy what were you thinking??

This story is engaging because it has family, grief and adventure all in one. I enjoyed watching it.