Kangaroo (PG) - 107 minutes

In this family friendly tale, an ambitious, self-serving, 35-year-old Sydney TV weather presenter makes an unexpected sea change.

Inspired by the true story of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, he has been reimagined as Chris Masterman (Ryan Corr).

Chris has his eyes on a television hosting role when he inadvertently becomes public enemy #1, after a weather cross goes off the rails.

Suddenly jobless, with all doors seemingly closed to him, he is offered an opportunity in Broome.

Taking to the road, he hits a roo and ends up stranded in Silver Gum, a small town outside Alice Springs.

It is there that he encounters a heartbroken, but driven 12-year-old Indigenous girl named Charlie (Lily Whiteley), who will change his life.

Charlie recently lost her dad, to whom she was close. He inculcated in her a love for roos, which he regarded as their totem.

After her father’s death, Charlie’s mother and his widow, Rosie (Deborah Mailman), moved to Silver Gum, where her blood relatives reside.

Charlie resents her mum for doing so.

Now, Charlie spends her time as a loner, wagging school and secreting joeys in her room.

Charlie witnessed the aftermath of Chris hitting the roo, which had a joey in her pouch at the time.

She convinces Chris that is it now his responsibility to rear the animal, even though he has no knowledge of how to do so.

That is when Charlie lends a helping hand.

One joey soon enough becomes three and, suddenly, Chris is on an unlikely path of redemption.

Along the way, he also manages to turn around the town’s initial negativity towards him.

Unfolding with warmth and humour, Kangaroo is an endearing, quintessentially Australian story, which pulls at the heartstrings.

Even though I recognised that I was being manipulated by writer Harry Cripps, I was up for what unfolded.

It is the richness of the characters that make the movie compelling and a beaut watch across generations.

Corr seems to effortlessly step up to the plate as an arrogant villain turned hero, who comes to recognise his shortcomings and learns how to become humble.

Whiteley is a revelation as a girl mature beyond her years on a mission, as Charlie forms an unmistakable bond with Chris.

Mailman brings a warm, infectious, immediately appealing personality to Rosie.

There are so many other actors in the film that make Kangaroo as strong as it is.

Among them, Rachel House is delightfully acerbic as bar owner Jess, while Roy Billing is prophetic as Murray.

Ernie Dingo plays along nicely – with a glint in his eyes – as Charlie’s mechanic uncle Dave.

The outback cinematography by Kieran Fowler is spectacular and only the hard of heart wouldn’t be moved by the regular appearance of the little joeys.

I also loved Charlie running at pace alongside the big roos.

Director Kate Woods has crafted a little charmer with widespread appeal.

Rated PG, Kangaroo scores a 7½ out of 10.