BUCKLEY'S CHANCE

Canada/Australia, 2021, 95 minutes, Colour.

Bill Nighy, Milan Burch, Victoria Hill, Martin Sacks, Julie Billington, Ben Wood, Kelton Pell, Anthony Gooley.

Directed by Tim Brown.

As they say, you’ve got Buckley’s chance (whatever, in fact, that may mean). Or a choice between Buckley’s and none. During this film, the very sympathetic indigenous character, (Kelton Pell) tells the youngster, Ridley (Milan Burch), the 19^th century story of Buckley who disappeared and, seemingly miraculously, appeared again sometime later. So, Buckley’s Chance – and it is the name of the homestead where this story takes place.

In fact, this is a Canadian production with financial support from Screen Australia. Writer-director, Tim Brown, is Canadian. And the perspective is a focus on a young boy and his mother, living in New York, having to go to Australia to live with his grandfather on a spread somewhere out West. Local audiences will enjoy the film although there will be a few question marks, especially the discovery of a river out there in the deserts, a waterfall pouring into a large lake. (Perhaps viewers are thinking, if only…!)

So, this is a story of discovery, seen through the eyes of young teenager who has idolised his father who has been killed in an accident saving others. As it transpires, his father, Australian, grew up on the homestead, a talented football player who clashed with his father after his mother’s death, left home and went to America.

The boy, Ridley, is very much 21^st-century, headphones, video camera, liking the comforts of the city, unprepared for the ruggedness of life on the homestead – which his grandfather very quickly demands of him, going out, camping, repairing fences. His mother, Gloria (a sympathetic Victoria Hill) tries to encourage her son. He is also encouraged by his grandfather’s foreman, Jules. But, for movie buffs, the intriguing aspect is that the Australian grandfather is played, of all people, by Bill Nighy, with an Australian accent, and without most of his familiar (and often engaging) tics.

Tim Brown must have seen and liked the Red Dog films because dogs are important here, especially a dingo (always under suspicion after the as Azariah Chamberlain case), running with his pack but becoming friendly with Ridley, sharing the harsh experience when Ridley (following two farm hands, rather dumb, with some nefarious schemes) gets lost in the desert and the community makes all efforts to find him – and the dingo.

So, a familiar enough story, quite pleasingly presented, location photography of the desert (and that river and falls), a sympathetic presentation of a country town and a boy coming to terms with the death of his father, relating to his grandfather, facing a new life.

1. An Australian/North American story? Characters? Canadian production?
2. Jules telling the Australian story about Buckley, his disappearance, his reappearance and the odds-on chance of his survival?
3. The New York background, glimpses of the city? Flights to Australia? To the outback? The property, last, terrain, planes, hills, river and falls? The town, the diner, police? The musical score?
4. Ridley’s story, age 13, his relationship with his father, the filmed encounters, the bond, his grief at his father’s death, expelled from schools, his mother desperate, travelling to Australia to his grandfather? Surly attitudes, not wanting to be there? His grandfather calling him Riddles? In the house, the support of his mother? Jules and his friendliness and explanations about the past? The four-wheeler, to go to school, riding, filming, the crash? His grandfather’s attitude towards the camera, eventually agreeing to speak to camera?
5. Ridley going with his grandfather to work, early, mending fences…? Overhearing his grandfather and Jules talking about the situation? His grandfather not wanting the situation, but sense of obligation?
6. The background to Spencer and his son, narrating the story, the son, football, getting out, his mother’s death, going to America, marriage? Giving his life for others?
7. The town, the diner, Ridley and his being upset and running, Jules collecting him?
8. The issue of the land, Spencer’s stubbornness? Mick and Oscar, comic villains, their plans, the shed, Ridley filming them, the police watching the video? Mick and Oscar seeing Ridley, on the other side of the river? Their confessing?
9. Ridley, the encounter with the dingo, the dingo and his pack, symbol of Ridley and his family? Dingo following him, bonding, calling him Buckley? The trek, out in the bush, lost, leaving the camera behind? The threat of the dingoes? The river, the falls?
10. The police, the gathering to find Ridley? His grandfather’s concern? The dingo, his mother finding him?
11. The celebration together, Cooper and Spencer reconciling? Mother and son? Ridley and the screening of his film, Spencer and the images of his son? Ridley letting the dingo go to the pack?