Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her fight for survival has just begun. Without a tail, Winter's prognosis is dire. It will take the expertise of a dedicated marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the unwavering devotion of a young boy to bring about a groundbreaking miracle -- a miracle that might not only save Winter but could also help scores of people around the world. The real Winter, who plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," today serves as a symbol of courage, perseverance and hope to millions of people -- both able and disabled -- who have been touched by her remarkable story of recovery and rehabilitation.
Genres: Drama and Kids/Family Release Date: September 23rd, 2011 (wide) MPAA Rating: PG for for mild thematic elements. Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Cast And Credits
Starring:
Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson
Directed by:
Charles Martin Smith
Produced by:
Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Richard Ingber
Dolphin Tale,†the story of a maimed dolphin named Winter and the people who rescue her, is pitched awfully young, without a shred of the satire or subtlety that is generally found in films aimed at tweeners and above. Thatâ not a bad thing; it just means accompanying grown-ups or older siblings will have to choke down a sizable dose of schmaltz with their fish milkshakes.
The film is inspired by an actual dolphin rescue, though it is so larded up with manufactured drama â€" single-parent households, a hurricane, an animal rescue center facing bankruptcy, a boy whose favorite cousin is in a war zone â€" that it’s hard to tell what’s real. The gist of it, though, is this: Winter lost her tail after becoming entangled in a fishing net, and her rescuers fitted her with a prosthetic one to help her survive.
Nathan Gamble as the young rescuer in chief and Cozi Zuehlsdorff as the girl who befriends him make a decent enough kiddie couple, and Harry Connick Jr. is quite watchable as the girl’s father, who runs the rescue center. Everything, including the parallels between the dolphin and the injured war veterans who factor into the story, is made obvious enough that no 6-year-old could miss it. As for older viewers, they have to wait to the very end for their rewards: some glimpses of Winter’s real rescue and rehabilitation.
Dolphin Tale,†the story of a maimed dolphin named Winter and the people who rescue her, is pitched awfully young, without a shred of the satire or subtlety that is generally found in films aimed at tweeners and above. Thatâ not a bad thing; it just means accompanying grown-ups or older siblings will have to choke down a sizable dose of schmaltz with their fish milkshakes.
Nathan Gamble as the young rescuer in chief and Cozi Zuehlsdorff as the girl who befriends him make a decent enough kiddie couple, and Harry Connick Jr. is quite watchable as the girl’s father, who runs the rescue center. Everything, including the parallels between the dolphin and the injured war veterans who factor into the story, is made obvious enough that no 6-year-old could miss it. As for older viewers, they have to wait to the very end for their rewards: some glimpses of Winter’s real rescue and rehabilitation.
