Stories from Life • Brian McFarlane
The Travellers and Kangaroo Reviewed
Two recent Australian films have quietly earned thoughtful attention: Kangaroo and The Travellers. Both are modest in ambition, sensitively crafted, and marked by warmth and quiet understatement — qualities still rare in contemporary local cinema. Each balances humor and emotion in an unforced, natural way, far removed from the grand gestures of The Man from Snowy River or the intensity of Mad Max.
Kate Woods and Her Approach
Director Kate Woods, whose experience has been primarily in television — aside from her 2000 feature Looking for Alibrandi — has created a gentle and appealing work in Kangaroo. The film draws on biographical elements and explores how a man’s obsessions and life focus can shift unexpectedly. Rather than a conventional biopic, the film opens with a statement that it is “inspired by a true story.”
Opening Scenes and Characters
Two introductory vignettes establish the central characters. Before the title sequence, a young Indigenous girl named Charlie, played by Lily Whiteley, runs across a wide expanse of outback Australia as kangaroos bound nearby. The film’s visual grace and emotional restraint are evident from this opening moment.
“Inspired by a true story.”
Summary
Brian McFarlane reflects on the quiet strength and sensitivity of Kangaroo and The Travellers, noting their understated artistry and emotional resonance in Australian cinema.