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Director: Charles Martin Smith
Writer: Karen Janszen, Noam Dromi
Stars: Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, and Morgan Freeman
Dolphin Tale is a good, wholesome family movie aimed more at kids than their parents. It is partially based on the true story of a rescued dolphin, Winter, that gets a prosthetic tale. In this case, the story focuses on how Winter changes the life of the little boy, Sawyer (Nathan Gamble), who helped save her.
Sawyer is the son of single mom, Loraine (Ashley Judd), and has abandonment issues because his father left the family and never came back. His grades are suffering, and he is in summer school. During this time of vulnerability, his closest male role mode, his cousin Kyle, is leaving for the military, and Sawyer feels lonelier and more withdrawn.
On his way to school one morning he sees something laying on the beach, goes to investigate, and discovers a beached dolphin tangled up in rope and a crab trap. Quickly he untangles the dolphin, marine rescue shows up, and the dolphin is rushed away. The following day, Sawyer visits the ramshackle aquarium to see how the dolphin is doing. What follows is a boy’s discovery of the wonders of life as he and Winter both heal, and how people can make a difference.
The movie looks good and movies along quickly. The story is aimed at kids, and there are a few unbelievable plot twists. Also, certain initial adult aimed sub-plots go nowhere. But overall, all the actors are game and you leave the film feeling better. All the kids I was surrounded by in the audience thoroughly enjoyed the movie–except during those adult sub-plots at which time the young audience members proceeded to talk with each other.
The only real negative of the film is the 3D. There was no reason to watch this film in 3D, and it appears to be released in this format only to take more money away from parents. If you can find it in a normal showing, then go for it.
Grade: B
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