Joey & Ella - Un'amicizia straordinaria

I came across this movie on DVD from my public library. My wife and I decided to give it a look.

I'm not sure the target audience, maybe smaller kids. There is no violence, sex, or bad language. But there are two very annoying thieves and the annoying lady they work for. The other characters are pretty normal.

An "Australia-themed" show is in town, the mother kangaroo has a newborn Joey in her pouch. This is while the crooks are stealing a special gem that was discovered after a meteorite fell to Earth. Somehow the gem gets loose, the Joey gets loose, the gem ends up in his/her pouch. Then the Joey ends up in Ella's grandfather's barn. The gem has magical properties, the Joey starts reading and talking, and grows very quickly.

I don't consider this a very good movie, rather juvenile in fact, but maybe that is the intent. Still we became immersed in the watching experience and rather enjoyed it, although it ends rather abruptly.