Dolphin Tale - Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Nathan Gamble

The Gist

Dolphin Tale
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Based on the true story about the dolphin Winter who washed up on shore after being caught in a crab fishing box. The cuts and wounds from the accident were so bad that her tail had to be amputated. Dolphin's can't swim without their tale, so she gets a prosthetic one. The movie follows Sawyer, a troubled little boy who is no good in school and doesn't have many friends except his one cousin Kyle, who is going off to the navy. He finds Winter washed up on shore and calls for help. Throughout the movie Sawyer becomes happier and gets friends while we get the true story of Winter and her battle at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The movie also incorporates the moving moments when people with disabilities get to meet the happy, social Winter and play with her.

What We Think
Reviewed by ShoreWhisperer
Run Time: 112 Minutes 
Rating: PG
This movie is one of those that is just trying to be emotional at every turn. It is striving to make you cry at every point. So, word of advice, if you do go to see this movie, please bring a tissue box. I cried, grudingly I will admit, but I got choked up many times. Winter is played by Winter herself. She is a very cute dolphin and the life of the movie. The story line, although very different from what actually happened does have bits of truth. In reality Winter was only found by the fisherman that is seen in the movie and instead of being found in Clearwater she was found on the opposite coast and was driven to Clearwater Marine Aquarium and treated there. Of course, you need a story line and the story is cliche but it works with the movie and it advertizes what Winter is all about. Kyle (Sawyer's injured cousin) represents every one army survivors and children that have gone and visted Winter. Kevin Carroll is the prosthetic doctor who actually helped because he is a doctor who has made prosthetics for animals before. So the movie took their artistic license with the story line and made something much more emotional than needed I think. On the plus side, it definitly sends a very optimistic message. 
Of course, Morgan Freeman just has an outstanding performance. He plays the prosthetic doctor and plays it wonderfully, he is the mentor, of course, in the movie and sends little pieces of advice to whoever will listen. I was also impressed with Nathan Gamble, he played Sawyer's part well. He got the troubled little kid down perfectly and he made me cry a couple times during the movie. Those were the two parts that stuck out the most to me. All in all, it was an ok. It is definitly a family movie and feel happy movie. There isn't anything extremly spectacular in it, except for the truth that Winter is still alive and can swim with a prosthetic tail. I wish that they wouldn't have blown the story up as much as they did because it is a powerful story in the first place, it does not need all the bells and whistles of hollywood's magic writers. Although it was a feel good, "empowering" movie, I was not extremly impressed with the outcome, because I know the whole story of Winter. I would suggest doing some research on Winter, because her story is truly remarkable and Dolphin Tale is certainly not her true story.


Real Teen Rating~ B- : Well...I guess you should see this...