Review of Dolphin Tale

From what I've seen, the trailer on TV and previews have everyone expecting a sappy and cloying family drama; all the elements for it are there - war tragedy, absent parents, incredibly cute animals, confused adults, children - but somehow it manages to transcend the trappings of the family drama genre. There is absolutely nothing more to the story than what's on the trailer but nevertheless, the way it gets to the inevitable points in the story are done with great skill and nuance. The performances coaxed out of all the actors are great, even the dolphin Winter and the pelican.

"Dolphin Tale" aims to tell a very simple story and never over-complicates it. The movie aims to offer an atmosphere and glimpses of lives rather than something story driven. Though the movie boasts of big names, they are never above or beyond the story and all are pieces of the story rather than big actors. The movie does veer a bit into the boy and his beloved pet territory that might get parent cringing that their kids are going to want dolphins for Christmas or dolphin rides or whatever the amusement park version of it is. But, as a whole the movie does manage to be about the dolphin Winter as the title promises and not overly about the characters.

For a movie to take your kids too and for you to enjoy as well, I highly recommend the movie.