Inspired by an amazing true story, Dolphin Tale goes exactly how you think it will, but that’s not a bad thing in this case. It is heart-warming and full of emotion. Families won’t be able to help but cheer for the dolphin named Winter (who plays herself in the movie). Director Charles Martin Smith (Air Bud) creates a wonderful, sweet story built around a hurt dolphin and her special bond with a young boy who needs a friend in his life. Martin knows a thing or two about family entertainment and Dolphin Tale is about as good as it gets when it comes to that.
Winter, a young dolphin, is caught in a crab trap out in the deep blue sea and is found on the beach left for dead with a damaged tail. With the help of a young boy named Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) and a Florida rescue team, led by marine biologist Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick, Jr.), they transport her to the Clearwater Marine Hospital and there she begins to heal. But without a tail, it will be tough for her to survive. That is when we are introduced to a brilliant prosthetics doctor named Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman). It will take the help of everyone involved to find Winter a new tail that not only will work, but that she will like and feel comfortable with as well. If it can be achieved, it will be groundbreaking and not only help Winter, but people all over the world who could use the same technology to make their lives easier and better. And let’s face it, we know this has to have a happy ending.
The relationship between Winter and Sawyer is engaging and heartfelt. Sawyer lives with his single-mother Lorraine (Ashley Judd) and she worries just like every mother does for her kid. He isn’t doing well in summer school and spends most of his time by himself. But once he finds Winter and starts going to the hospital, he becomes friends with Dr. Clay and his daughter Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff). Finally, his mother sees her son interested in something again, passionate and dedicated to Winter and her recovery.
There is another part of the plot that ties in with the overall message of Winter representing all of those who are disabled. Sawyer’s cousin Kyle (Austin Stowell) is one of the top swimmers in the state, but goes off to war only to come back in a wheelchair. He doesn’t want to see Sawyer or anyone else he is close to. He is left feeling sorry for himself and can only think about never being able to swim again. But he gets a push from Sawyer and inspiration from Winter, and Kyle is not the only one who is impressed and inspired by Winter. Everyone is in amazement of what Winter goes through, can do, and how she becomes a swimming miracle.
Dolphin Tale has everything you would want in a movie for the whole family. Whether you see it in 3D or not won’t make a difference. It is a feel-good movie that will make you appreciate what you have and admire those who battle to become who they once were. It can be done. Winter is living proof of that.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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