Having long dedicated all her time to the Middle Island Sanctuary for Little Penguins, single mom Emily is devastated to discover that the sanctuary will lose its funding because the penguin population, having fallen prey to the region’s foxes, has decreased beyond the minimum mandatory levels. Emily’s dad Swampy Marsh, an eccentric chicken farmer, is seen by his neighbors as bad news, but he might have the solution to Emily’s problems right in his backyard.

Together with Emily’s daughter Olivia, they train Oddball, Swampy’s dog, to protect the penguins and save the sanctuary. All of this must be kept secret from Emily and the entire town, since the notoriously mischievous Oddball is forbidden to leave Swampy’s land. But all their good intentions could go to waste, as an unknown enemy attempts to sabotage their efforts.

Based on a true story and shot entirely on location in Australia, Oddball is fun and thoughtful. It radiates a sweet charm that snags your heart from the get-go, while its absorbing story emphasizes the importance of environmental preservation. – Eloisa Lopez-Gomez