Canguru Jack

Two Brooklyn friends (Jerry O'Connell and Anthony Anderson) are commissioned by a mob boss (Christopher Walken) to deliver $50,000 to a shady character in the Outback. The operation goes awry when a kangaroo inadvertently runs off with one of the guys' jacket... and the money. Michael Shannon is on hand as a mob heavy.

"Kangaroo Jack" (2003) is a likable family-friendly adventure/comedy with the typical eye-rolling kid humor (e.g. Fart jokes). It's fun, harmless hokum highlighted by spectacular Australian cinematography and the beautiful Estella Warren as an Outback preservationist. The humorous camaraderie of the protagonists is another highpoint. But the story isn't as compelling as I hoped it would be and the camera never really captures Estella's beauty beyond her lovely face and bosom.

It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes and was shot in Australia and Brooklyn with reshoots done in Los Angeles.

GRADE: C+

Two childhood friends, a New York hairstylist and a would-be musician, get caught up with the mob and are forced to deliver $50,000 to Australia, but things go haywire when the money is lost to a wild kangaroo.

This film is notorious for its deceptive advertising. Everyone thought it would be about a talking kangaroo. And, after all, the film is called "Kangaroo jack", so it makes sense you would expect the lead character to be the kangaroo. But, in fact, the kangaroo does not talk, and has a relatively small part to play in the movie (even if he is the key figure to the whole plot).

If you keep your expectations low, this is actually a fun film. Very predictable, sort of stupid, but watch it with some friends and you might just have a fun time. And it is pretty wholesome for the most part. Some mild violence, a bit of forced romance, but nothing too adult and hardly any curse words. That seems to be more and more rare these days (2015).

As a special treat, one of the supporting cast members is Michael Shannon (and Christopher Walken has a small part). This is before Shannon really got noticed or came to be respected as a critical success. Watch him in this role, though. Despite it being a pretty awful film, Shannon shines. He gives it 100% even when Jerry O'Connell is happy just to get a paycheck.

Let's get to the point. Kangaroo Jack is necessarily the worst film of all time, but neither is it the greatest. It's not even close. What it is though is fairly humorous, though usually silly.

The story is a bit good at parts, but far-fetched at others. Charlie and Louis were best friends ever since childhood, after one saved another from drowning. One of their fathers was a gangster or something, and the two are sent with a job to deliver the money to some other dude. The story isn't quite a bad one, and does take a little twist. (The twist is related to the job.) The main flaw in the story is that the movie is supposedly aimed at kids. Do you think kids will understand anything about mafia or anything like that?

Despite that, there are other moments not aimed at kids. One of the jokes includes Charlie grabbing on of the other character's chest. Another scene includes a homophobic joke. ("We're having an intimate, non-gay moment.) The film is a bit funny and entertaining, but the farting and homophobic jokes, along with the strange storyline makes it less than what it could have been, but I still enjoyed it more than other films such as The Cat in the Hat, Scary Movie and Dude, Where's My Car?

5/10

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Regardless of its faults, my 7 year old daughter and I had fun and enjoyed the movie, which is what counts. Obviously, the movie is not intended to be a masterpiece or believable, but children will find it very funny and adults may enjoy it too.

Seriously, this movie is the best one ever.

It inspired my life dream of traveling to Australia to adopt baby kangaroos. This movie DOES NOT deserve a 4.4/10, it deserves a 14.4/10!!!!!!!! I couldn't love this movie more, it was totally fire and interesting and artistic and amazing and fantastic.

If people can't the artistic genius found in this movie you're nuts! Anyways go and watch this movie. it will be the best decision you will ever have made Get your life together people...Comments like "piss poor directing" and "foully awful acting are out of line.

Keep up the amazing work David McNally