Dolphin Tale - Heartwarming Entertainment

Rated PG (for mild thematic elements)
113 Minutes
Starring Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman

I viewed Dolphin Tale with my thirteen year-old daughter via on-demand cable programming.

Let me say right from the start that this was a WONDERFUL, feel-good movie which I highly recommend for full family viewing. Originally, my expectations were low, so I was more than pleasantly surprised at the quality of this film.

Dolphin Tale is based on the true story of a dolphin amputee named Winter, and the humans whose lives she changes as they try to help her swim again with the aid of a prosthetic tail.

Fueled by the dream cast of Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, and Kris Kristoffersen, what really makes this movie fun for kids are the marine actors—Winter the Dolphin (plays herself), Roofus the Pelican who you makes you wish you had your own pet pelican, sea turtles, and a pair of adorable river otters.

My daughter related to the characters, Sawyer and Hazel—two kids who love and believe in Winter when the grown-ups around them start to lose hope.

The screenplay is formula writing designed to pluck your heartstrings at just the right time, and while that makes the story predictable, the acting and direction bring it all together beautifully. Some bonus real-life footage at the end brought tears to both our eyes.

There was no bad language or violence, and according No Animals Were Harmed, great care was taken to ensure animal safety on the set. According to IMDb, the PG rating is for "mild thematic elements." I'm not sure what that means. For me as a parent, there was not one worrisome or inappropriate element in this movie.

If you are looking for a clean, uplifting, quality flick for your next family movie night, I say give Dolphin Tale a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
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Reviewed by Karen Cantwell