Buckley's Chance
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Buckley's Chance
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Buckley's Chance is a family drama/adventure set in the Australian outback with some moments of peril and mild but frequent language. Ridley (Milan Burch) is a 13-year-old boy from New York who relocates to Australia with his mother after his dad dies and he has trouble at school. When someone who wants to buy land from Ridley's grandfather, Spencer (Bill Nighy), tries to burn down a barn, Ridley gets involved in a wilderness adventure, evading kidnapping and the elements while learning survival skills along the way. Tense scenes include Ridley clinging to a crumbling cliff and riding rapids before going over a waterfall. Guns show up; they're described as tools rather than weapons by Spencer, who at one point threatens a group of men with a shotgun. Dingos are fired at but not hit. One dingo gets tangled in barbed wire but is freed uninjured. Snakes feature in some tense scenes. Language includes several uses of "bastard," "arse," and "bloody." There's little female representation, with just two female characters: Ridley's grieving mother and a police officer. Ridley's father's old schoolfriend is an Indigenous Australian character. A number of clearly branded products are seen and used during the movie.
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What's the Story?
In BUCKLEY'S CHANCE, Ridley (Milan Burch), a 13-year-old from New York, relocates to Australia following his father's death, where he reconnects with his grandfather, Spencer (Bill Nighy). While there, Ridley is forced to learn survival skills as he encounters all that the Australian outback has to offer, including dingoes and snakes. Not to mention the kidnappers who are determined to take Spencer's land.
Is It Any Good?
It's a curse when a bad performance overshadows the rest of a movie. Unfortunately that's the case with Buckley's Choice. Nighy's Australian accent is so off-course, talking about it is unavoidable. The British actor's attempt veers wildly mid-sentence, even with his painfully slow and detached delivery. The good news is, young Burch is assured in his feature debut as Ridley and Australian actor Victoria Hill manages to keep her American accent from causing Nighy-like distraction and delivers a solid performance as Ridley's mother.
The movie tells a well-worn "fish out of water" story, but it's not without some moments of charm. An implausible relationship Ridley strikes up with a dingo adds a touch of magic and the section when he's evading two bungling crooks comes just in time to pick up the pace. Between these points though is a plodding, dusty old story as lifeless as the desert in which it's set. When Ridley and his grandfather venture into the bush, the thought of spending time alone with this glum boy and his barely engaged grandfather feels like a burden rather than an adventure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Buckley's Chance has to say about family relationships. What do the characters learn from each other? How does that help them? Talk about your own families. What have been some of the challenges/rewards?
Discuss some of the peril and moments of threat in the movie. Did you find any scenes too much? How much "scary stuff" can my young kid handle?
Talk about some of the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Discuss some of the survival skills Ridley learned. How do you think you'd manage in the wilderness?
The movie features wild dingoes and snakes. What's the wildlife like where you live? Is any of it dangerous?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 13, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: August 13, 2021
- Cast: Bill Nighy, Milan Burch, Victoria Hill
- Director: Tim Brown
- Studio: Vertical Entertainment
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Adventures, Wild Animals
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Quirky Kiwi dramedy promotes teamwork, friendship.
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Crocodile Dundee
Iconic outback comedy has strong language, drinking, drugs.
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Moonrise Kingdom
Typically quirky Wes Anderson dramedy has lots of heart.
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