Dolphin Tale (2011)
Average Rating: 6.5/10
Reviews Counted: 105
Fresh: 86 | Rotten: 19
Wisely dialing down the schmaltz, Dolphin Tale is earnest, sweet, and well-told, a rare family film that both kids and parents can enjoy.
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Critic Reviews: 28
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 3
Wisely dialing down the schmaltz, Dolphin Tale is earnest, sweet, and well-told, a rare family film that both kids and parents can enjoy.
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Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 39,895
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Movie Info
Dolphin Tale is inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life. 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
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Cast
-
Harry Connick Jr.
Dr. Clay Haskett -
Ashley Judd
Lorraine, Lorraine Nels... -
Nathan Gamble
Sawyer Nelson -
Kris Kristofferson
Reed Haskett -
Cozi Zuehlsdorff
Hazel, Hazel Haskett -
Morgan Freeman
Dr. Cameron McCarthy, D... -
Austin Stowell
Kyle Connellan -
Frances Sternhagen
Gloria Forrest -
Austin Highsmith
Phoebe -
Betsy Landin
Kat -
Juliana Harkavy
Rebecca -
Megan Lozicki
Brittany -
Jim Fitzpatrick
Max Connellan -
Kim Ostrenko
Alyce Connellan -
Michael Roark
Donovan Peck -
Richard Libertini
Fisherman -
Ray McKinnon
Mr. Doyle -
Ashley White
Sandra Sinclair -
Tom Nowicki
Philip J. Hordern -
Rus Blackwell
Coach Vansky -
Marc Macaulay
Board Member Fitch -
Jennifer De Castroverde
Board Member Marx -
Denise Durette
Board Member Christina -
Vivian Ruiz
Virginia -
Laila Harris
Little Girl in Wheelcha... -
Stacy Ann Rose
Little Girl's Mother -
Kurt Yaeger
Veteran Tim -
Mike Maki
Veteran Mike -
Mike Pniewski
Prosthetic Consultant -
Nicholas Turner Martin
Bully #1 -
Carlos Guerrero Jr.
Bully #2 -
Paul Amadi
Kyle's Friend -
Charlotte Connick
Hordern Grandchild -
Winter
Winter -
Abby Stone
Winter Trainer -
Cat Rust
Panama Trainer -
Elaina Franklin
Dolphin Trainer
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Dolphin Tale Trailer & Photos
All Critics (105) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (87) | Rotten (19) | DVD (3)
As much as it grates, it still manages to warm the cockles.
Top CriticPlenty of ambition. But the dialogue can be tin-eared, and the comedy has a cater- to-kids quality that sells youngsters short.
That it manages to be not insufferable while still being so predictable is a small tribute to its cast and crew.
A potentially appealing story about a rescued disabled dolphin gets smothered with inspirational family values guff.
Most of the family films churned out today are so junky it's almost a shock to find one in which the animals never spout sassy one-liners, or show off their hilarious hip-hop moves.
Effective as the movie is, it nevertheless left me slightly put off.
Dolphin Tale, an inspirational tale about a Little Dolphin Who Could, will swim into your heart despite some melodrama and predictability.
Middle-of-the-road milquetoast.
It's an earnest, sweet film that relies on the extraordinary true story of Winter, the rescued dolphin, and little on manipulative Hollywood tricks.
When I write the "Cookie Awards" in my annual Oscar-season column for the Quad-City Times, I always include this category: Most Embarrassing Crying Spell. There is no question which movie will 'win' the award. I bawled when I watched 'Dolphin Tale.'
In the hands of actor-turned-director Charles Martin Smith, this kid-centric drama provides a welcome family option with positive values and a minimum of frantic, noisy CGI. It's a tale told on a human (and animal) scale.
One wonders why the filmmakers felt the need to turn a fascinating true story into a cliche-ridden, formulaic family film.
Mostly, the movie is about friendships, new and old, about bonding, about overcoming adversity through love and family. (Blu-ray Combo edition)
While some adults may get impatient with it, kids will undoubtedly find it appealing.
Inspired by a wonderfully inspiring true story, Dolphin Tale has all the right ingredients for a family movie with adorable dolphins ..and the plucky youngster who plays a major role in the feel-good plot
You would have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by this uplifting, heart-warming tale, about a dolphin that learns to swim with a prosthetic tail
Sawyer's interactions with Winter make the movie fun for kids especially - an intelligent animal connects with a boy in need of attention and affection.
Those looking to leave the cinema with a warm glow should seek this one out.
Sometimes drifts into the emotional shallows rather than letting its 'inspired by a true story' soar on its own.
An endearing tale of family, friendship and fighting for what you believe in.
The emotive aspect of the film is so tangible it's the equivalent of having someone grab hold of your heart on the inside of your rib cage ready to give it an occasional squeeze.
While it plays hard and loose with the facts, this tale of a boy and a bottlenose dolphin is guaranteed to create a tidal wave's worth of tears.
Don't expect miracles but this is about a kind of miracle and doesn't sentimentalise it to death.
Two hours of redemptive hugs, triumphant whoops and tearful smiles later we learn that pinning a tail on a dolphin is, on the scale of human achievement, not far behind winning the Nobel Peace Prize and discovering a cure for cancer.
The true story of a lonely, underachieving young lad's special bond with a disabled dolphin seems guaranteed to make you teary-eyed.
Engagingly directed and superbly written, this is a heart-warming feel-good drama with likeable characters and some impressive dolphin wrangling, though the 3D is entirely unnecessary.
Audience Reviews for Dolphin Tale
Super Reviewer
Good inspirational movie!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!
A lonely and friendless boy finds and untangles a hurt dolphin that is caught in a crab trap. He becomes very attached to the dolphin when the tail must be taken off to save the dolphin's life. The boy believes the dolphin would be able to swim normally if it was given a prosthetic tail.
Super Reviewer
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- Dr. Cameron McCarthy: [talking to Kyle Connellan when he says he can't swim anymore because he's 'broken'. Dr. McCarthy walks over to table, picks up and glass, drops it and it shatters on the ground] Now, THAT'S broken.
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- Sawyer Nelson: But Winter needs me.
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- Sawyer Nelson: But... I wanted to show him some stuff.... and invite him to meet Winter.
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- Dr. Cameron McCarthy: No one in his right mind would try to put a tail on a fish.
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- Dr. McCarthy: [from trailer] In this changing world, it's harder than ever to find something extraordinary, but every once in a while a symbol of hope breaks through.
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- Lorraine: You are going to school tomorrow and that is it!
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Latest News on Dolphin Tale
October 3, 2011:
Box Office Guru! Dolphin Rises to #1 SpotDespite four new offerings on the table, moviegoers chose feel-good leftovers as the top three films...
September 23, 2011:
Critics Consensus: Moneyball is Certified FreshThis week at the movies, we?ve got baseball nerds (Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill),...
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Foreign Titles
- Mein Freund, der Delfin (DE)
- Dolphin Tale (UK)
