140 Character Movie Review – #140RVW
Exactly what it looks like: cute, family-friendly, inspirational, endearing & completely devoid of any sharp edges. Not a bad thing at all.
Spoiler-free Movie Review of Dolphin Tale:
What a cute movie. You know, sometimes a thing just is what it is – and that’s alright. This movie turned out to be every bit the sweet family fare that it teased. And there is nothing at all wrong with that.
You can sort of tell just by the casting what kind of movie it’s going to be. Some of these actors just broadcast this vibe that there isn’t going to be any heavy lifting involved with what you’re about to see. The folksy compassion of Kris Kristofferson, the worldly (& folksy) wisdom of Morgan Freeman, the folksy wholesomeness of Ashley Judd, the jazzy wholesomeness of Harry Connick Jr. – it’s like the cast of a Lifetime special with more star power. But that’s alright; this isn’t the story for acting fireworks.
And it is a great story. Based simultaneously tightly AND loosely on a real story. It’s sort of an interesting mix. The details about Winter are extremely accurate, while everything else is extremely fictional.
The story of Winter, a dolphin stranded on a beach in Florida after being injured in a crab net, is an amazing one. This is a wonderful animal who was rescued by some brave and inventive people and it’s an inspirational story that you’d have to be made of stone not to warm to. The film features Winter in her home location at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and in the closing credits of the picture we get to see footage of the events just dramatized. Now, I’m tempted to say that it’s such a good story and the actual recordings are so captivating that a feature film is really unnecessary – that they should have just stuck with a documentary (of which there is one – Winter, the Dolphin That Can – http://www.seewinter.com/winter-hope/real-life-story).
But that would be selling short the job that screenwriters Karen Janszen & Noam Dromi have done in creating a great dramatization that honors the inspirational effect Winter has had on many people. The story of overcoming physical trauma and the adversity it creates is meaningful on so many levels, and the screenwriters have used this as the basis for the film story, which draws parallels with our wounded soldiers. The story is more than a little bit melodramatic and could probably have used a haircut, but it is engaging and well-written.
The picture is very well made – craftsman-like, but not showy. I’m not in love with the over-clean look of the film, but it suits the movie. DP Karl Walter Lindenlaub had to work with the ill-advised decision to shoot in native 3D – this picture never needed to be in 3D – and perhaps that led to the antiseptic image. More than anything, though, everything and everyone are just too tidy.
Dolphin Tale is a heartwarming picture that can truly be inspirational if you watch it with the right audience and right mind frame. If not, it’s earnestness may seem saccharine. But it is a delight to watch with children and highly recommended.
Poster:
Trailer:
Bechdel Test:
Pass
The Representation Test Score: A (11 pts)
(http://therepresentationproject.org/grading-hollywood-the-representation-test/)
| Main Cast | Morgan Freeman Dr. Cameron McCarthy, Ashley Judd Lorraine Nelson, Harry Connick Jr. Dr. Clay Haskett, Nathan Gamble Sawyer Nelson |
| Rating | PG |
| Release Date | Fri 23 Sep 2011 UTC |
| Director | Charles Martin Smith |
| Genres | Drama, Family |
| Plot | A story centered on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap. |
| Poster |  |
| Runtime | 113 |
| Tagline | Inspired by the amazing true story of Winter |
| Writers | Karen Janszen (written by) and, Noam Dromi (written by) |
| Year | 2011 |
