Not as fresh as Nemo, but still better than most sequels and certainly better than any other animated movie in theaters, Finding Dory accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It's a wondrous, mesmerizing adventure into animation and the big blue, where each new scene provides little visual miracles. While we've seen it all before, this film focuses less on the awe of novelty and more on the emotional resonance its images provoke, especially when combined with the heartfelt story.
Speaking of which, I cried. A lot. Mostly because baby Dory (who we see several times, through flashbacks and memories) is the cutest thing I've ever seen on the big screen. Also, it's a heartfelt, gutsy tale of a hero with a distinct disability who learns to navigate the seas on her own terms. If that weren't enough to win your heart, our hero interacts with others who have a no less amazing capacity for humor, patience, and generosity in the face of frustrating setbacks and a friend that forces them to communicate in different ways. I was reminded of the supporting characters of The Theory of Everything, who are written to provide an astounding measure of kindness and love in helping their disabled protagonist. There are plenty of lessons for us all to learn, whether we relate more to Dory or her varied acquaintances.
Her friends, too, are many-splendored. Hosting as wide a selection of ocean crew as the first, though only a handful of new characters, this film balances its attentions between a cranky octopus with only seven tentacles, a nearsighted whale shark, a self-doubting beluga with a possible concussion, and a pair of territorial sea lions (Do you see the pattern? Everybody else has a "problem" too, and the way they work together is just charming). We also see the endless patience of Dory's family, her two parents voiced by Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton, who work with their troubled youngling through games and routines to always keep her occupied, joyful, and able to return home.
The plot is not a great secret nor a great surprise, but I won't say more on that front. Its message of affirmation is achieved through experiencing the film. I will say that its climax is a colossal miscalculation, and a vague insult to the logic and joy of fans; it's an unnecessarily complicated set piece that lasts too long, features too many unlikely effects, and is so comparatively absurd that I almost forgot this was a Disney movie. But it ended just as I tired of it, and returned to the real movie with grace, so I can't complain too much.
The main joy of this film is in its ability to capture an essence of homesickness, of caring and love for family and familiarity that one has lost, and then to not dwell on that loss but to enthusiastically seek after it. It's about hope for renewal and remembrance. Amazing that an animated flick about fish can be so profoundly human at heart.
IMDb: Finding Dory
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