Summer Cinema: ‘Finding Nemo’
It seems like the folks at Pixar just keep getting better and better. They dazzled us with their story about the secret lives of toys, and amazed us with the rippling fur on their monsters. Now they have tackled the gravity-absent world of the sea in “Finding Nemo,” a movie of surprising comedic depth with a heart-warming story lacking from most of the Hollywood fare released on the public in recent years.
“Nemo” tells the story of Marlin (Albert Brooks), a clown fish widower raising his only son, Nemo. When a diver captures Nemo, Marlin (who is a little neurotic about the ocean to begin with) must travel the seas to Sydney, Australia, in order to rescue him. Along the way he joins forces with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a fish lacking any short-term memory to find him. Along the way they encounter a support group for vegetarian sharks, traverse a forest of stinging jellyfish and escape after being swallowed by a whale.
As for Nemo, he ends up in a fish tank in a dentist’s office with an assortment of neurotic fish including Gill (Willam DeFoe), another ocean fish that has been trying to escape since he was captured.
Let me be straightforward with you, this was a funny movie. It is Pixar’s best offering so far. With every film they release, they keep getting better and better. A lot of the comedy revolved around Dory and her lack of memory. She would have a conversation with Marlin, look away for a minute and then reintroduce herself. She also professed to be fluent in whale as well as being able to read human writing (when she could remember how of course). And the humor was not just for kids. A lot of it was very subtle (like the volcano named Wannahockalugie), and not only kept me entertained but laughing for most of the film.
The other great thing about this film is that it had heart. There was no real “bad guy,” just a bunch of life experiences that added to the characters’ understanding of their lives. It is a story about family and trusting each other, but this moral wasn’t spoon-fed to the audience. Instead, we learned along with the characters to not be afraid of life. We need to dive into the deep end and see what life has to offer us. And along the way we can gain a greater appreciation for the people who are a part of those experiences.
“Nemo” is a great family movie, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself enjoying it more than your kids do.
Grade: A