G (2003) Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Coral (Elizabeth Perkins) have finally arrived. They have a nice anemone on a good reef, a thousand eggs waiting to hatch, and best of all they're in love. When a barracuda attacks, however, Marlin is left with the house and one damaged egg, which he names Nemo. Marlin and Nemo (Alexander Gould)are happy together, but on Nemo's first day of school, he's kidnapped. The rest of the film is split into two stories. Marlin braves the wilds of the ocean to get his son back, joining forces with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a fish with short term memory problems. Together they fight off sharks, get trapped in a jellyfish forest and get eaten by a whale, among other things. Far away, the older guys in Nemo's new home initiate the boy to life in a fish tank and plot an escape that could put him in danger. This is a light, happy film with beautiful animation and lighting. Ellen DeGeneres is hilarious as Dory, and her character almost steals the show. Let's hear it for the young man who played Nemo, (Alexander Gould), who was only seven years old when making the film. Fatherhood Father and son really have a good time together, but Marlin is shown as overprotective, a result of losing his wife and 999 kids to the barracuda. (When Dad has custody in the movies, Mom is almost always dead.) The risks he takes in finding Nemo build new confidence. This eventually helps Nemo who has only seen Dad's domestic side, and believes Marlin is too afraid of the ocean to come find him. The toughest fish in Nemo's new home is the opposite of Dad. He becomes his surrogate father, but encouraging Nemo into taking risks. When Nemo says he has a gimpy fin, Gil (Willem Dafoe) shows him his own mangled fin, and gives him strength. He also jumps in to help him when there's trouble. Another Father is the laid-back turtle-dude whose kids are allowed to play physical games and take some risks. When one of the baby turtles pops out of the current “highway” they're riding in, Marlin wants to go get him, but the wise old turtle-dude says to wait, and see if the baby will find his way back in. Final Review When our editor's then-young daughter saw Finding Nemo, she told her father he would like it because “it's got a GOOD dad” and ended up watching it maybe 20 times. This is a great Dad movie that you and your kids will enjoy equally. When you think all is lost, “just keep swimming.” Dad positive, male positive. Back to Reviews Back to top |
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