Oddball (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment (Film) |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Family-friendly comedy adventure film |
Oddball (also known as Oddball and the Penguins) is a 2015 Australian family-friendly comedy adventure marking Stuart McDonald’s feature film debut as director. The cast includes Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, and Alan Tudyk. Distributed by Roadshow Films, it premiered in Australia on 17 September 2015 and is inspired by an actual event.
Plot
Situated on Middle Island near Warrnambool, the native little penguin population is threatened by fox predation. Emily Marsh leads a team dedicated to monitoring these penguins. Meanwhile, her distant father, Swampy Marsh, who raises chickens, looks after his dogs Missy and Oddball. Oddball’s unruly behavior causes disturbances in the community, putting him at risk of euthanasia unless he improves.
When Oddball defends an injured penguin named Pocket from a fox attack, Swampy recognizes Oddball’s potential as a guardian for the penguin colony. While Emily is away on vacation, Swampy and Olivia Marsh put Oddball to the test overnight to protect the sanctuary. Oddball’s success results in an increase in the penguin population.
Upon learning about this initiative, Emily expresses concerns about possible opposition from the local council. Swampy suspects Bradley Slater—Emily’s partner—of working against the sanctuary because of his interest in developing a whale-watching venture. During a fox alert, Oddball is tranquilized, sparking tension between Emily and Swampy over their dedication to protecting the habitat.
After noticing missing tranquilizer equipment at Jack’s residence, they discover deliberate interference on Middle Island orchestrated by Zoe, who supports Bradley’s whale-watching plan for personal gain. Zoe attempts to harm Pocket’s egg but is stopped and taken into custody. The sanctuary remains intact; Emily and Swampy reconcile, and approval is granted for the Maremma dog conservation effort.
Production
This film dramatizes real-life events centered on a Maremma Sheepdog. The original conservation initiative began in 2006, involving training Maremma sheepdogs to shield penguins from fox attacks.
Release
Oddball had its North American debut at the 2015 Indianapolis Heartland Film Festival and was featured as the opening film for the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival for Kids. It was officially selected for numerous other festivals such as the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, Sonoma Film Festival, Environmental Film Festival in Washington D.C., Cleveland Film Festival, Dallas International Film Festival, Miami International Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Wisconsin Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, and Traverse City Film Festival. Additionally, it screened at Utah’s Tumbleweeds and Palm Springs International Film Festivals.
On the international front, Icon Film Distribution released the movie in countries including Bolivia, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom.
In Australia, Oddball became available on DVD, Blu-ray, and video on demand starting 16 December 2015.
Critical response
The film Oddball garnered mostly favorable critiques. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval score of 87% based on 23 reviews from critics with an average rating of 6.1 out of 10.
Luke Buckmaster from The Guardian described it as "entertaining with thoughtful intentions" and possessing a "gentle charm." Erin Free of FilmInk highlighted its strong appeal to Australian families. Matt Neal of The Standard commended it as reliable entertainment suitable for all ages.
Conversely, Jake Wilson from the Sydney Morning Herald criticized the film for losing focus on its animal protagonists and child characters. Sandra Hall from the same outlet felt that the lead role was overly exaggerated. Francesca Rudkin of the New Zealand Herald awarded it three stars out of five, labeling it a "delightfully old-fashioned live-action film" that leans more toward slapstick humor than subtlety and primarily attracts younger viewers.
Box office
In 2015, Oddball generated A$11,085,092 at the Australian box office, surpassing its production cost of A$7 million. Distributed by Village Roadshow (Australia), the film debuted on 17 September 2015, earning close to A$1 million across 289 screens during its opening weekend and securing the fifth position nationwide. The subsequent weekend saw an increase to fourth place with nearly A$1.8 million from 293 venues. Its highest ranking was third in early October, when it played in 297 locations. The movie maintained an exclusive run with Village Roadshow for a total of 12 weeks, concluding in late November.
Oddball holds the sixth spot on Screen Australia's list of "Films Most Popular in their Own Backyard" and ranks twenty-sixth among their "100 Most Popular Australian Films."
Accolades
| Award | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| AACTA Awards (5th) |
Best Cinematography | Damian Wyvill | Template:Nom |
| People's Choice Award for Favourite Australian Film | Stuart McDonald | Template:Nom | |
| AFCA Award | Best Supporting Actress | Sarah Snook | Template:Nom |
| FCCA Awards | Best Children's Film | Sheila Hanahan | Template:Nom |
| Stephen Kearney | Template:Nom | ||
| Richard Keddie | Template:Nom | ||
| Best Performance by a Young Actor | Coco Jack Gillies | Template:Won | |
| Mill Valley Film Festival | Audience Award for Best Family Film | Stuart McDonald | Template:Won |
| Screen Music Awards | Feature Film Score of the Year | Cezary Skubiszewski | Template:Nom |
| Seattle International Film Festival | Films4Families Youth Jury Award | Stuart McDonald | Template:Nom |
| Traverse City Film Festival | Stuart Hollander Prize for Best Kids Film | Template:Won |