Dolphin Tale

  1. 113 minutes. Rated PG.

Dr. McCarthy:”Trying to put a tail on a fish? Nobody in his right mind would even try it. Luckily, I’m not.”

Sawyer: “Not what?”

Dr. McCarthy: “In my right mind.”

Eleven year old Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) is a friendless kid, stuck in summer school and depressed that his older cousin Kyle (super cute Austin Stowell) is off overseas in the military. Sawyer just happens to be there when a beached dolphin is found caught in a crab trap. He helps cut her free and develops a connection with her before she is taken off by the local sea animal rescue place, Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Sawyer’s curiosity about the dolphin (Winter, playing herself) leads him to the aquarium where he is befriended by the talkative Hazel (Cozi Zuehisdorff) who happens to be the daughter of the lead doctor (Harry Connick, Jr.). Naturally, Winter perks up when Sawyer arrives and before you know it, he’s become an integral part of the aquarium. The rest of the plot deals with Winter losing her tail, Morgan Freeman making a prosthetic one, and a somewhat parallel plot line of the cousin returning due to a injury sustained in the line of duty. Oh, and I almost forgot about the aquarium needing to be sold due to lack of funding.

Can Winter solve all of these problems? Of course, she can!

Yeah, you can see the turns in the plot coming, I won’t lie. However, the relationships between all of the characters feels real and deep, and you do root for Sawyer and for Winter. Every character is likable. The “overcoming the odds” theme is played out well, for everyone involved. Kris Kristofferson and Ashley Judd add some strong small parts of parents to the mix. I was slightly disappointed that they didn’t hook up the two single parents, but c’est la vie. There are also some unbelievable bits that you just have to ride along with, but hey, doesn’t every movie require some suspension of disbelief?

Kids who enjoy animal movies will like this one. There’s actually very little to dislike here.  The acting is solid, the story is sweet and empowers kids and dolphins. Plus, there is a happily ever after. My one complaint is at 113 minutes, it feels quite long. I was losing patience with it, wondering when the big wrap up was coming (and you could feel it inching closer). While it was interesting to have a side plot involving a war vet cousin who also needed to learn to overcome his post-battle issues, the movie could have done without it and remained strong (and shorter). My 9 year old was certainly also itchy at the length, so younger children may be wiggling long before the film’s end. The end does not disappoint (definitely a happy high point), so if you are watching with kids, I’d plan a break halfway through. A quick round of the hokey pokey and a snack break will settle everyone for the second half.

The real Winter does indeed wear a prosthetic tail. The boy in the film, Sawyer, is a complete Hollywood fabrication. The real story features an Indiana girl named Katrina who also wore an uncomfortable prosthetic. On a vacation to Florida, a stop was randomly made at the marine aquarium and Katrina saw Winter, who had been rescued when she was 3 months old. The aquarium basically adopted Katrina and enabled her to come to Florida often to talk to visitors about Winter’s story. Winter’s true gift has been to inspire improvements in prosthetics for countless children and adults who are moved by the dolphin who gives back (Yes, I’m tearing up again. You will, too, if you watch this movie). If you like, you can watch Winter on a live webcam at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

One of my favorite parts of the movie was the end when we get to see footage of the real Winter and what she has meant to people struggling with disabilities. If a dolphin, who only has ONE important appendage (compared to our four), can learn to live and celebrate life with a prosthetic, what are people complaining about?

My last word is if you want a tame, enjoyable and predictable movie to watch with your kids that doesn’t include any intense scenes, this one will be a winner.  Jump on in, the water’s fine.

Author: Noelle

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