Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Farmer trains his dog to protect endangered penguins; peril.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Oddball
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In ODDBALL, Swampy (Shane Jacobson) is an eccentric chicken farmer in a rural village on the coast of Australia. At low tide he can walk to Middle Island, long a sanctuary to thousands of small penguins. (The penguins, which are real, are irresistibly lovable.) His daughter Emily (Sarah Snook) is a kind of park ranger who helps keep them safe. But funding for her work is dependent on the penguin population and it's being decimated by a bunch of wily foxes who have learned to swim. With both her job and the penguin's survival at stake, it's the two least likely heroes, Swampy and his wayward Maremma Sheepdog Oddball, who protect the penguins from the foxes. The locals are skeptical of the disobedient dog and the antisocial Swampy so, with the help of his savvy granddaughter Olivia (Coco Jack Gillies), the two have to stealthily prove their plan works in the dead of night.
Is It Any Good?
This is a great family-friendly movie that will also charm watch-along parents. It offers some of the best traits of a live-action Disney kid movie, in which both animals and kids have insights and agency. Nine-year-old Olivia is smart, caring, and a great judge of character. She sniffs out the flaws of the man dating her mom long before her mom does. Swampy, the widower chicken farmer who the townspeople consider a dismissible joke, is the one to solve a major local problem. Both are nice role models for kids who feel they have lots to offer but may be ignored and dismissed by peers and teachers because they seem a little different.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the outsiders this movie champions. Swampy the chicken farmer is considered an eccentric. Oddball the dog trained to protect chickens has no interest in chickens. Olivia doesn't want to be like everyone else. What does the movie say about the advantages of being different?
When someone suggests Olivia will like a pair of shoes because they're what everyone is wearing, she retorts, "Why would I want to be like everyone else?" Does it take courage to stand apart from the crowd? Is it worth it?
The town must weigh the welfare of the penguins above its status as an economically-viable tourist attraction. Do you think they made the right choice? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 17, 2015
- Cast : Sarah Snook , Shane Jacobson , Coco Jack Gillies
- Director : Stuart McDonald
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Village Roadshow
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals ( Dogs ) , Family Stories
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : April 13, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate