Mein Freund, der Delfin

Congrat's Charlie Smith, you've done it again. Congrat's Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson...and Bob Engelman. I've been a part of a lot of films in our industry, as an actress, a choreographer, a director...and there are only a handful of great films you can point too, that you can watch over and over and over, and it never gets old. Dolphin Tale will be added to that list. From Morgan Freeman to Ashley Judd, all of the actors were phenomenal. The child actor Nathan Gamble pours his little heart into this one, and will become the new it young actor. Harry Connick Jr. is the dad of all dads, and the young actress Cozi Zuehlsdorff will will eventually become a wonderful little actress if she stays away from troublemakers in the industry. There were also a lot of successful actors in the supporting cast that helped make this film one for the ages. like, Frances Sternhagen, Kris Kristofferson, Ray McKinnon, Jim Fitzpatrick, Marc Macauly and Richard Libertini. And last but not least Winter. If you love animals and/or Dolphins..you too will love Dolphin Tale!

Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) is stuck in summer school and his belove cousin Kyle, who is a champion swimmer, is going to war. One day, he helps rescue a dolphin entangled by a crab trap. The dolphin named Winter loses her tale and she needs her rescuer. Dr. Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.) reluctantly agrees to let him help. Kyle loses his leg in the war. Dr. McCarthy (Morgan Freeman) working on Kyle's prosthetic leg is recruited to develop a prosthetic tail for Winter.

It's a very lovely family movie. Sure it's pulling on all the heart strings. It's got a pelican sidekick, the adorable kid leads, war heroes, disabled kids, and the dolphin. It may be cheesy. It may be hokey. It may be corny. But I love it all. If you have a heart, you'll love it too.

This is a nice little inspirational movie that had a relentlessly positive message, and an exuberant talented cast (led by Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Harry Connick, Jr.) to boot. While the title and the poster already tells you what to expect, the movie actually had a multi- layered plot, all of these sub-stories drive home the same positive message of hope and redemption in the face of adversity.

The main story of course is that of Winter, a young dolphin whose tail got caught and seriously injured in a crab trap. Sawyer, a young boy with school and father issues, grows very attached to this dolphin that he saved. When Winter's tail was eventually amputated, Sawyer sought the help of the prosthetics expert at the veteran's hospital to come up with a prosthetic tail so the dolphin could swim normally again.

To thicken this simple and straightforward main plot, the script gave us several supporting stories. We get the story of Sawyer's older cousin Kyle, a swimmer who tragically lost his leg in the war. The very marine hospital itself where Winter was confined was in trouble with its sponsors and was threatened with closure. The very community of Clearwater, Florida where the story happened also had to face the wrath of a calamitous cyclone. We get to witness how these "broken" people had the will to rise above their difficulties and move on with their lives.

There was of course no surprises anymore how this will end. However, the story telling was engaging without being too pushy or cheesy with its message. The kid actors were very natural and not annoying, especially the young man who played Sawyer, Nathan Gamble. I think it is a very good family film where important lessons about life can be learned by all. Once in a while it is quite refreshing to watch a happy positive film so reinforce the belief that not all hope is lost in this seemingly sad and cruel world of ours.

This is the first review I have written, but I feel obligated as this movie was so perfect for its genre. I'm not saying it is an academy award winner, but as far as inspirational, age appropriate and inspiring family movies go, if simply won't get much better than this.

Let me start by saying that I have a child with a physical disability, and during his second surgery, his school class gave him a book about Winter. This was way before the movie, and I had never heard of Winter. My son (age 5), who loves fish and sea life, was instantly taken with the idea of a dolphin that was special like he was. We read the book many times, and even at the hospital we promised that someday he would get to meet Winter.

About six months after his surgery, we traveled to Clearwater from our home on the opposite Florida Coast (4 hour drive). When we arrived we found the aquarium there very sparse and not all that impressive. That said, they were majorly renovating due to the money that they were paid to make this movie even though it still wasn't out yet. That said, Winter was well worth the trip. She is every bit as inspirational and real as what you see in the movie. I'm only bringing this up to focus on my movie review. This is for anyone that thought the movie was over the top sappy or cheesy. I'm sorry, but that part is true and to not make it look that way would be virtually impossible. Winter gives hope to people with special needs. My son even made her a card and got to hold her special tail.

The other features of the movie like the boy finding her and probably many other aspects are creative license. She was actually found by a boat on the East coast of Florida. But, I don't think that really matters. When we went there, even with no movie, and met Winter we knew that she was a movie star.

The movie itself was well produced, well-acted (Morgan Freeman was very good), and took on difficult themes subtly for young children. I guess the best comparison to this would be Free Willy, however that story was pure fantasy and simply not as good of a movie, in any way, to Dolphin Tale.

I highly recommend this movie for any family, especially anyone with a disability. And as far as the barely believable and possibly sappy plot, sometime real life is like that and that is a good thing!

Heartwarming family movie that's very sweet and inspirational. If this movie doesn't make you smile, I feel sorry for you. Yes, it's predictable if you're an older viewer but that's not always a bad thing. It's based on a true story about this dolphin who loses her tail and the efforts to give her a prosthetic tail that might enable her to swim normally. They add some fictional elements to the movie for dramatic effect but nothing too corny. It's got a good cast and a good story with a lot of heart. The little girl Cozi Zuehlsdorff is especially adorable. It's a really nice movie with a hopeful message. It's a dolphin movie, people. Who doesn't like dolphins?