TL;DR: Tracks is the cinematic antidote to the "always-on" anxiety of 2025. It’s a true story about Robyn Davidson, a young woman who walked 1,700 miles across the Australian desert with four camels and a dog. It’s slow, beautiful, and perfectly captures the grit required to find yourself when you aren't being "liked," followed, or pinged every five seconds. Best for ages 13+ due to some intense themes and a few "mature" moments.
Check out our full guide on movies that inspire grit and resilience
If you’ve spent any time lately looking at your teen and wondering if their brain has been replaced by a TikTok algorithm, you aren’t alone. We’re living in an era where "boredom" is treated like a medical emergency and "solitude" is just a gap between checking notifications.
That’s why Tracks is such a vital watch for families right now. It isn't a high-octane action flick. It’s a "vibe" movie in the best sense of the word. It tells the true story of Robyn Davidson (played by Mia Wasikowska), who in 1977 decided she’d had enough of people and city life, so she trained some camels and walked from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean.
It’s the ultimate "unplugged" story, even though it takes place decades before the first iPhone.
Based on the memoir by Robyn Davidson, the film follows Robyn as she spends two years preparing for a journey most people thought was suicidal. She’s joined by her dog, Diggity, and four unpredictable camels. Along the way, she occasionally meets up with a National Geographic photographer (played by a pre-fame Adam Driver), who is basically the only link to the outside world she begrudgingly tolerates.
It’s not a movie where "a lot happens" in the traditional sense. There are no desert monsters or hidden treasures. The "villains" are heat, thirst, isolation, and the internal baggage Robyn is trying to outrun. For a generation of kids used to the rapid-fire editing of MrBeast, this might feel slow at first. But if they stick with it, it’s incredibly rewarding.
We talk a lot about "digital wellness" as a series of nos: No phones at the table. No Snapchat after 9 PM. No Roblox until your homework is done.
But Tracks offers a "yes." It shows the value of deep solitude.
In 2025, our kids are rarely ever truly alone. Even when they’re in their rooms, they are digitally tethered to their entire social circle. They are constantly performing, constantly perceiving how they are being perceived. Robyn’s journey is the opposite. She is stripped of her "brand." She is just a human in a landscape that doesn't care if she lives or dies.
Watching this movie together is a great way to start a conversation about what it feels like to be "off the grid."
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Your teen probably knows the term "Main Character Energy." Usually, it’s about romanticizing your life for the 'gram. Robyn Davidson has actual main character energy, but it’s not romantic. It’s dirty, it’s exhausting, and it involves a lot of camel poop.
The Value of "The Suck"
One of the best things about Tracks is that it doesn't make the journey look easy or even particularly fun. Robyn fails. She gets lost. She gets frustrated. She has moments where she clearly regrets the whole thing.
In a world of "hustle culture" and entrepreneurship influencers, kids are often told that if they aren't succeeding immediately, they’re doing it wrong. Tracks teaches that the "middle part"—the long, boring, painful stretch where nothing seems to be happening—is actually where the growth occurs.
Is this a "family movie night" pick? Maybe, but it depends on your kids.
- Ages 0-12: Probably not. It’s slow-paced and features some animal death (the "dog moment" is a tear-jerker of the highest order) that might be too much for younger kids. Plus, the themes of existential dread might go over their heads.
- Ages 13-15: This is the sweet spot. Middle and early high schoolers are starting to grapple with their own identity apart from their parents. Robyn’s desire to "just go" will resonate deeply with them.
- Ages 16+: Perfect. It’s a sophisticated film that respects the viewer's intelligence.
Content Warnings:
- Language: A few choice words, but nothing more than what they hear in a Call of Duty lobby.
- Nudity: There is a brief scene of Robyn skinny-dipping/walking without clothes. It isn't sexualized; it’s portrayed as her reaching a point of total indifference to social norms. (In Screenwise terms: it's "National Geographic" nudity, not "HBO" nudity).
- Animal Distress: If your kid is an extreme animal lover, be warned. The reality of the desert is harsh.
Don't turn the movie into a lecture. Nobody wants to hear, "See, Robyn didn't need Instagram to have a good time!" That’s a one-way ticket to your teen's eyes rolling into the back of their head.
Instead, try these angles:
- The "Why": Robyn never gives a simple answer for why she’s doing the trek. Ask your teen: “Do you think she knew why she was doing it, or did she figure it out along the way?”
- Privacy vs. Publicity: Adam Driver’s character wants to document everything. Robyn hates it. Ask: “If you did something amazing but weren't allowed to post a single photo of it, would it still feel worth it?”
- Independence: Robyn had to learn how to handle camels and fix things herself. Ask: “What’s one 'survival' skill you’d actually want to know if you were stranded?” (This usually leads to a fun conversation about how none of us know how to do anything anymore).
If your teen actually engaged with the movie (and didn't just spend the whole time on Discord), here are a few other "nature vs. self" recommendations:
- Wild: The Reese Witherspoon version of the PCT trek. A bit more "adult" than Tracks (rated R), so definitely for the older teens.
- Into the Wild: The classic "boy leaves society" story. It’s a cautionary tale, which makes for a great "what went wrong" discussion.
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: A much lighter, more whimsical take on finding adventure. Great for younger teens.
- A Walk in the Woods: If you want the "walking a long way" vibe but with more humor and less existential crisis.
Tracks isn't going to make your kid throw their phone into a lake and move to the desert (thankfully—camels are expensive). But it might plant a seed. It might help them realize that the "weird" feeling they get after four hours of scrolling is a hunger for the kind of presence and challenge that Robyn finds in the outback.
It’s a beautiful, quiet reminder that we are capable of much more than we think—especially when we turn off the noise.
Learn more about how to encourage "Deep Work" and focus in a distracted world