Buckley's Chance
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | Tim Brown (director and co-writer) |
| Headquarters | Australia, Canada |
| Products | Family adventure film |
Buckley's Chance is a 2021 family adventure film helmed by director Tim Brown, featuring performances by Bill Nighy, Milan Burch, and Victoria Hill. The narrative centers on Ridley, a 14-year-old boy who moves with his mother to a secluded cattle station in Western Australia owned by his grandfather following the death of his father. When Ridley vanishes under suspicious circumstances, the story unfolds around his disappearance. This project represents an international co-production between Australia and Canada.
Upon its 2021 release, the film garnered a range of responses from critics.
Summary
Ridley (Burch), aged fourteen, and his mother Gloria (Hill) relocate from New York to Australia to live with Gloria’s estranged father-in-law, Spencer (Nighy), at his isolated cattle property named "Buckley's Chance" in Western Australia. The station’s name refers to William Buckley, and the Australian phrase Buckley's chance suggests minimal likelihood. This transition occurs after Gloria’s firefighter husband passes away in the United States.
A strained relationship develops between Ridley and Spencer as the grandfather attempts to bond with his grandson, who carries a camera gifted by his late father. During an outdoor excursion, Ridley frees a wild dingo caught in barbed wire. Concurrently, Spencer contends with three locals—Cooper, Mick, and Oscar (Sacks, Wood, Gooley)—pressuring him to sell the property. Ridley observes Mick and Oscar attempting to set fire to Spencer’s hay shed and tries to capture evidence on camera. To evade detection, Ridley hides in the back of their utility vehicle but is unknowingly driven away. While lost in the outback, he forms a friendship with the dingo as he endeavors to return home.
Following Ridley’s disappearance, Spencer and station manager Jules (Pell) coordinate a search effort involving local emergency responders.
Cast
- Milan Burch
- Bill Nighy
- Victoria Hill
- Ben Wood
- Kelton Pell
- Anthony Gooley
Production
Under the direction of Tim Brown, who co-authored the screenplay alongside Willem Wennekers, the film is set against the backdrop of Western Australia but was actually shot near Broken Hill, New South Wales during 2019.
Distributed by Transmission Films, Buckley's Chance premiered in Australian theaters on 24 June 2021.
Reception
The film received varied critiques, with particular attention given to Nighy’s portrayal of an Australian accent and the authenticity of the New York accents performed by Hill and Burch.