Storm Boy (2019)

Storm Boy is the kind of family drama that sneaks up on you: simple on the surface, but quietly profound in the way it honors loneliness, love, and the healing power of connection. Set against a windswept stretch of Southern Australian coastline, the film is gorgeously shot, letting the ocean air and wide horizons do as much storytelling as the dialogue, while the bond between a boy and his rescued pelican, Mr. Percival, becomes genuinely moving without tipping into syrup. There’s an old-fashioned, heart-forward sincerity here—part adventure, part coming-of-age, part gentle tearjerker—that makes it an easy pick for watching with kids or anyone who needs a reminder that tenderness can be brave. If you’re looking for snappy cynicism or high-stakes spectacle, it may feel too quiet, but if you’re open to a warm, scenic story with real emotional pull, it’s well worth the trip.

Storm Boy (2019) clearly wants to be a gentle, family-friendly tearjerker about friendship, nature, and the kind of childhood that shapes you for life, and on that level it’s sincere. The problem is it often spells out its messages with a marker pen instead of letting you feel them, so the environmental and social themes can come off as lectures rather than emotion. The framing story and pacing may also feel a bit stretched and “made-for-TV” polished, which can make the whole experience seem more disposable than magical. If you’re looking for subtle storytelling or the raw, haunting simplicity people associate with the original, this remake may irritate you—but if you want safe PG drama with pretty coastal scenery and an easy-to-follow heartstring tug, it’ll do the job.