Dolphin Tale (2011)

To me, this movie is perfection.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This was a decent watch, not for cinematic reasons per se but for making the world a better place. I watched this with my son, Julian, and I was pleased with how they took the true story, including the actual dolphin from it, and, especially for kids, promoted environmentalism, caring for animals, etc.--really solid and important aspects that need to be, more than ever, emphasized in the youth of today.My only qualms is that I have very mixed emotions about the casting. I know that to get an important environmental message heard, and thus the film watched, you have to incorporate Hollywood megastars. I simply wish this didn't have to be the case. The story would have come across better with unknown actors--or simply as a sincere documentary without the Hollywood B.S.

Let me be totally clear: this is NOT the kind of film I usually watch. I just have a pile of random DVDs I'm determined to work my way through... no matter how unappealing they seem. Kids-bonding-with-cute-animals movies are as old as time immemorial, and commonly stick to a rigid formula... and this entry is no exception. Let me outline the central conflicts, to give you a general idea:1. A loner schoolboy, who's only friend seems to be his champion swimmer cousin, finds an injured dolphin on the coast. Will he befriend it, swim with it at his local aquarium, help it's rehabilitation and in turn, overcome his natural shyness?2. The kid is at summer school. Will his mother, after an impromptu visit to the sea life centre, agree to withdraw him from all his classes so he can play with the fishes all season long? 3. Oh I forget to mention earlier... the cousin is also a soldier, and is partially paralysed while on duty. Will the script draw parallels between his injury and subsequent depression, and that of the dolphin losing it's tail fin and refusing to eat? 4. The cousin's physio is played by none other than Morgan Freeman (You know, that guy from the insurance ads). Do you reckon, that he'll be able to help the cousin get over his funk with an 'Inspiring Speech' (One of MANY in the film)?5. That Morgan Freeman is a talented guy... he can also design prosthetics. But... can he do one for a dolphin to help it swim, and will there be many failures before he FINALLY get it right near the end (Thanks to the kid noticing a flaw in his plans, of course)? 6. The aquarium is in danger of closing due to lack of funds, a problem which is exacerbated by a random storm which destroys half the building. Will they be able to raise the cash by exploiting the dolphins disability to hold a big Open Day, or are they going to have to sell their assets to the sushi and tuna factories? If you answered NO to any of these, then you're a big dummy... so leave the room. Everything you could want from an uncomplicated heartwarmer is here, including a orchestral soundtrack which swells whenever something 'touching' happens, and a full ending montage of the schoolboy getting rather, um... 'close and personal' with the dolphin. So... it's an efficient piece of manipulative drama, with the added bonus of no swearing or toilet jokes. But not for me. Thank you, and goodnight. 5/10

I rarely rate films. This one I had to. Despite all minor shortcomings related to making, scripts, whatever...this is a truly inspirational heart warming movie that will appeal to everyone. This is based on a true story of Winter, the handicapped dolphin at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. While at points you may find the story or making of the film geared towards the younger audience in particular, the message delivered is universal. If you have the slightest sympathy towards the marine life or the environment this film will touch your heart. I have enjoyed it and I believe most of you will. Can't believe some of the harsh reviews.

My suggestion if you're going to watch this is to think of Flipper in real life and fighting against much bigger odds. Really - there are a lot of similarities, especially the bond between Winter (the dolphin whose tail had to be amputated after being caught in a fishing line) and young Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) - a troubled kid involved in her rescue.As all animal stories tend to be, this one is heartwarming. After being taken to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, it's feared that Winter will die because without a tail she can't swim. But she teaches herself to swim like a fish (moving her backside side to side) only then to have it discovered that the motion itself will kill her by damaging her spine. The trick then is to develop a prosthesis to save her life.It's a good story, humorous at times, sad at times. Obviously it revolves around Winter's struggle to survive, but there's a lot of human drama going on in this as well, which perhaps gives it a bit of adult "gravitas." There are some fairly well known faces in this - Harry Connick, Jr. as the head of the Marine Hospital, Kris Kristofferson as his father and Morgan Freeman as the doctor who finally develops the prosthesis. It's better than "Flipper" mostly because it's based on a true story. It takes a few liberties but tells the basics pretty well. (6/10)