It is safe to say that Looking for Alibrandi isn't one of the most well-known films in the world (since on a budget of only $4.5 million, the film made back $8.3 million). However, it is certainly a very good film. In his review for eFilmCritic.com, for example, Andrew Howe wrote that "It may be a little film, but it speaks from the heart." Mark Freeman of Critical Eye thought the same way. In his review, he wrote that the film is "a remarkably fresh, energetic celebration of youth and culture." Beyond that, Woods and writer Melina Marchetta were praised for "giving [the film's] multicultural terrain the true respect and depth it deserves."
Based on Melina Marchetta's novel of the same name, Looking for Alibrandi tells the story of a young girl named Josie, who has to deal with a number of traumas in her life - from the suicide of her crush to the racism she experiences from her schoolmates. As well as that, she must deal with her once absent father who has returned to her life and must work to mend her relationship with her grandmother, with whom she is in seemingly constant conflict.
