Oddball (film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oddball
Theatrical film poster
Directed by	Stuart McDonald
Produced by	Sheila Hanahan Stephen Kearney Richard Keddie
Written by	Peter Ivan
Starring	Shane Jacobson Coco Jack Gillies Sarah Snook Alan Tudyk
Music by	Cezary Skubiszewski
Cinematography	Damian Wyvill
Editing by	Cindy Clarkson Marcus D'Arcy Max Miller
Studio	The Film Company WTFN Entertainment Screen Australia Film Victoria Kmunications
Distributed by	Roadshow Films
Release date(s)	17 September 2015
Running time	95 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	$7 million
Money made	$11 million

Oddball (also known as Oddball and the Penguins in some places) is a 2015 Australian family film. It was directed by Stuart McDonald. The movie was released in September 2015. It stars Shane Jacobson, Coco Jack Gillies, Sarah Snook, and Alan Tudyk. The story is based on real-life events.

Saving the Penguins: The Story of Oddball

The film's story takes place on Middle Island. This small island is off the coast of Warrnambool, Australia. Fairy Penguins live there. Sadly, foxes have found their way to the island. They have been attacking the penguins. This has caused the penguin population to shrink a lot.

Emily Marsh (Sarah Snook) works to protect the penguins. She counts the few penguins left after fox attacks. Her father, Swampy Marsh (Shane Jacobson), is a chicken farmer. He has two dogs, Missy and Oddball. Oddball is a big, fluffy Maremma Sheepdog. He is a bit mischievous.

Oddball's Big Trouble

Emily's daughter, Olivia Marsh (Coco Jack Gillies), is nine years old. She is Swampy's granddaughter. One day, Swampy drives Olivia to school. Oddball comes along for the ride. When Olivia tries to get out, Oddball jumps out too! He causes a lot of chaos in Warrnambool. He even messes up a new tourism attraction. This attraction was being set up by Bradley Slater (Alan Tudyk). Bradley is Emily's boyfriend.

Later, in court, Oddball gets a final warning. If he causes trouble in the city again, he will be taken away. That night, Swampy finds an injured penguin. A fox had attacked it on Middle Island. He takes the penguin home. A fox tries to attack it again, but Oddball scares it away! Swampy is surprised. Oddball suddenly seems able to protect other animals.

A Clever Plan to Help

Swampy realizes someone might be trying to harm the island. They might want to turn it into a whale-watching spot. He gets an idea to save the penguins. Olivia loves the idea! She names the injured penguin 'Pocket'. They start training Oddball.

Swampy and Olivia convince Emily to go on a trip to Melbourne with Bradley. While they are away, Olivia and Swampy stay on Middle Island. They want to see if Oddball can guard the penguins. They also release Pocket, who is now healed. Oddball successfully protects the penguins. So, Swampy decides to leave Oddball on the island alone for a night. He wants to see how the dog manages.

Oddball's Success and New Challenges

Oddball successfully fights off a fox. He protects Pocket and Pocket's partner. Olivia and Swampy decide that Oddball can guard the birds every night. The number of penguins starts to grow!

Emily soon finds out about Swampy's plan. Olivia accidentally tells her. Emily eventually agrees with the plan. But she warns them that Oddball could get into trouble if the local council finds out. Swampy thinks Bradley is causing problems for the penguins. This is because Bradley is very keen on a whale-watching idea. This idea was suggested by a man named Rich. The whale-watching station would replace the penguin home.

Trouble for Oddball

One night, after dropping Oddball off at the island, something bad happens. Oddball tries to scare away a fake fox. Then, an unknown person shoots him with a tranquilizer gun. A tranquilizer gun uses a special dart to make animals sleep.

Swampy finds Oddball in the back of an animal control van. He sees a mark from a tranquilizer dart. The animal catcher tells Swampy that he cannot save Oddball. Swampy is very sad. But then he finds out that Pocket and his partner have laid an egg! This gives him hope. He teams up with Olivia to save Oddball. Emily and Jack go to Jack's house. They find some of his tranquilizer guns, fox cages, and darts are missing.

Unmasking the Culprit

Swampy and Olivia manage to save Oddball. They meet Emily and Jack at the beach. This beach connects to Middle Island. Oddball and Olivia sneak onto the island. Emily and Swampy follow them, worried. Oddball finds the person who has been causing trouble. This person is releasing a fox!

Emily calls out, thinking it's Bradley. But the person is actually Zoe, one of Emily's co-workers. Zoe explains that Rich, the whale-watch promoter, is her boyfriend. She wanted the whale-watching plan to happen. This was because she secretly hated her job.

Zoe then grabs Pocket's egg. She tries to stomp on it! But Emily and Olivia tackle her. Emily accidentally kicks the egg off the cliff. Luckily, it stops before it reaches the sea. Jack shoots Zoe with a tranquilizer dart. Oddball carefully gets the egg back. Swampy, Emily, and Olivia guide him.

Emily decides not to move away with Bradley. She and Swampy make up. The penguin sanctuary is saved! The Maremma conservation project, using dogs like Oddball to protect wildlife, is approved.

Cast