Stories from life • Brian McFarlane

Stories from Life - Brian McFarlane

The Travellers and Kangaroo Reviewed

Brian McFarlane, Cinema, 5 November 2025

Two recent Australian films, Kangaroo and The Travellers, have quietly emerged as deserving of attention. Both are understated, sensitive, and subtly crafted with a blend of comedy and poignancy, displaying a style rarely seen in Australian cinema today, far removed from more familiar works like The Man from Snowy River or Mad Max.

Kangaroo: A Semi-Biographical Tale

Directed by Kate Woods, primarily known for her television work and her 2000 feature Looking for Alibrandi, Kangaroo is a semi-biographical story inspired by true events. It explores a man's life and shifting preoccupations in an unconventional biopic format.

The film opens with two episodes introducing the main characters. The first scene, before the title, shows a young Indigenous girl named Charlie (played by Lily Whiteley) running across a vast outback landscape, alongside bounding kangaroos.

The Travellers: Warmth and Subtlety

The Travellers features Luke Bracey, Brian Brown, and Susie Porter, bringing warmth and nuance to the story. Like Kangaroo, it is quietly rendered, with a subtle emotional depth that distinguishes it from more mainstream Australian films.

“Kangaroo was ‘inspired’ by a true story,” the opening title states.

These films demonstrate a different Australian cinema, focusing on intimate storytelling over spectacle.

Author’s Summary

Both Kangaroo and The Travellers offer quietly compelling, sensitive depictions of Australian life, distinguished by subtlety and emotional warmth rare in contemporary films.

Inside Story — 2025-11-05