Ashley Judd Harry Connick Jr and Morgan Freeman in Dolphin Tale
Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr, and Morgan Freeman, in 'Dolphin Tale' -... Movies for Grownups
Directed by Charles Martin Smith
Rated PG, Runtime: 112 minutes
Starring Harry Connick, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Ashley Judd Sawyer is in a funk. His father is out of the picture, and his mom, played by Ashley Judd, can’t seem to reach him. He loves to build and invent things, but he’s not doing well at school, and he falls deeper into a pit when he learns his older cousin Kyle, whom he looks up to, has decided to put aside a competitive swimming career and join the Army straight out of high school. Gradually, Sawyer gains confidence, and a second family, as he offers to help care for Winter, who seems to hold a special fondness for the boy. Dr. Clay Haskett (played adequately but somehow oddly by Harry Connick Jr.), director of the Clearwater Marine Hospital, determines that Winter’s tail, infected with , will need to be amputated, and that she’ll need some artificial assistance to be able to swim — essential for her survival. Haskett, as it turns out, is a single dad to Hazel (newby Cozi Zuehlsdorff), an adorable girl Sawyer’s age. She and Sawyer become fast friends, mentored by Haskett’s dad (Kris Kristofferson), who lives on a nearby houseboat.
Dolphin Tale is jam-packed with subplots, some seemingly forced for dramatic effect. The marine hospital is mired in . A hurricane threatens. And Kyle returns from Iraq morose and in a . It’s at the VA hospital where Kyle is being treated that Sawyer meets Dr. McCarthy (played brilliantly, as always, by Morgan Freeman), who manufacturers prostheses for the wounded soldiers he cares for. Couldn’t McCarthy, Sawyer asks, design a prosthesis for Winter that would enable her to swim?
I like that Dolphin Tale takes up some serious subjects — faltering businesses, war and wounded soldiers — though writers Karen Janszen (Free Willy 2) and Noam Dromi could have cut back on the sap, especially when dealing with the future of the marine hospital. And why the producers thought the film — shot beautifully on location in Clearwater — needed to be done in 3-D I don’t understand. Some of the silliest scenes — namely a pesky pelican who routinely appears out of nowhere — are seemingly included for the sole benefit of special effects.
Still, Dolphin Tale offers up enduring messages about never giving up and the curative powers of . And it’s a film that will satisfy adults and children alike. Best of all, Winter got to play herself — and that’s a happy dolphin tale if there ever was one.
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Movie Review Dolphin Tale
The story of a marine mammal who gets a little help from her human friends
Photo courtesy Jon Farmer/Warner Bros. Pictures Morgan Freeman, Nathan Gamble and Harry Connick, Jr. in "Dolphin Tale."Directed by Charles Martin Smith
Rated PG, Runtime: 112 minutes
Starring Harry Connick, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Ashley Judd Sawyer is in a funk. His father is out of the picture, and his mom, played by Ashley Judd, can’t seem to reach him. He loves to build and invent things, but he’s not doing well at school, and he falls deeper into a pit when he learns his older cousin Kyle, whom he looks up to, has decided to put aside a competitive swimming career and join the Army straight out of high school. Gradually, Sawyer gains confidence, and a second family, as he offers to help care for Winter, who seems to hold a special fondness for the boy. Dr. Clay Haskett (played adequately but somehow oddly by Harry Connick Jr.), director of the Clearwater Marine Hospital, determines that Winter’s tail, infected with , will need to be amputated, and that she’ll need some artificial assistance to be able to swim — essential for her survival. Haskett, as it turns out, is a single dad to Hazel (newby Cozi Zuehlsdorff), an adorable girl Sawyer’s age. She and Sawyer become fast friends, mentored by Haskett’s dad (Kris Kristofferson), who lives on a nearby houseboat.
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Dolphin Tale is jam-packed with subplots, some seemingly forced for dramatic effect. The marine hospital is mired in . A hurricane threatens. And Kyle returns from Iraq morose and in a . It’s at the VA hospital where Kyle is being treated that Sawyer meets Dr. McCarthy (played brilliantly, as always, by Morgan Freeman), who manufacturers prostheses for the wounded soldiers he cares for. Couldn’t McCarthy, Sawyer asks, design a prosthesis for Winter that would enable her to swim?
I like that Dolphin Tale takes up some serious subjects — faltering businesses, war and wounded soldiers — though writers Karen Janszen (Free Willy 2) and Noam Dromi could have cut back on the sap, especially when dealing with the future of the marine hospital. And why the producers thought the film — shot beautifully on location in Clearwater — needed to be done in 3-D I don’t understand. Some of the silliest scenes — namely a pesky pelican who routinely appears out of nowhere — are seemingly included for the sole benefit of special effects.
Still, Dolphin Tale offers up enduring messages about never giving up and the curative powers of . And it’s a film that will satisfy adults and children alike. Best of all, Winter got to play herself — and that’s a happy dolphin tale if there ever was one.
Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures