“Did you miss me?” Dory asks Squirt and friends in Disney-Pixar’s Finding Dory, which debuts in theaters everywhere today, and the answer from the sea turtles and the rest of us was a resounding “Yes!”
After 13 years, everyone’s favorite tang fish, Dory, has returned to the big screen and she’s off to find her parents. It’s a journey very reminiscent of Finding Nemo, something the film readily acknowledges, but with the addition of some endearing new friends.
My family saw it and while we all enjoyed it, my teen liked it best of all.
The story of Dory’s past is revealed in flashbacks as she starts to remember more and more about her past. You even get to see how the “Just Keep Swimming” song originated.
“It’s like Memento,” said my husband. Much to my surprise, I think he’s got a point in terms of the way the story is revealed. Of course, there are significant differences between that movie and this film that is rated PG but is not at all scary. I admit that the first scene Bruce in Finding Nemo terrified me. (Yes, as an adult.)
There’s no swearing, unless you count “Holy carp!” (which is not a typo) and my favorite line from Hank, “Suck it, bipeds.” There’s no sex, no violence.
That said, there are a few moments of sadness. My teen got quite emotional and tissues were required, which I didn’t see coming. It could be a bit much for kids. If you’re worried about that, check out Tech Savvy Mama’s post for deciding if it’s right for your family. Also, it’s always a good idea to check out the Common Sense Media’s review.
Finding Dory is set one year after Finding Nemo, so I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it did catch me a bit off guard that Nemo has morphed into a tween. He’s a little sassier and more perceptive at just how to get under his dad’s gills.
There’s a theme of how planning doesn’t always work out (which I fear my teen will take a little too much to heart), but what really resonated with me was the message that there are a lot of different ways to success. Dory isn’t neurotypical, and several other characters have challenges, too. And that’s okay. Finding Dory makes the case for going against the typical routes to achievement.
For those of us parents who worry that their child isn’t going to follow a typical path, Finding Dory offers hope, and the reminder that they key may be to discover and hang on to what your child loves and use it to help them find their way.
Chances are after seeing this film you’ll be asking yourself, “What would Dory do?” And chances are the answer will be helpful.
Friendly reminder to stay through the credits, which are entertaining and there’s the fun of seeing how many babies were born to those working on the film, but there’s a scene at the very end. A little boy in the theater declare, “That was was totally worth it!” He’s right.
If you have a kiddo in grades 2 through 6, check out the Finding Dory Educator’s Guide for great suggestions to use the movie as a chance to both enjoy some family fun and an educational opportunity.
Fun Facts about Finding Dory
* 16,091 fish are swimming in the Open Ocean exhibit at the Marine Life Institute.
* 22 weeks were spent shading Hank the
* 51 minutes of the film include crowds characters (which is more than double that of an average Pixar film).
We also really enjoyed the short animated film Piper that debuts in theaters right before Finding Dory. It’s six minutes of beautiful animation and some great messages. You can read more about Piper here.
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