Finding Dory
Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Rated: PG
Pixar is back with their latest summer release, Finding Dory, a follow up to the massive 2003 hit, Finding Nemo. In the film, the forgetful Blue Tang Fish with a heart of gold begins to recollect faint memories of her parents. With the help of Marlin, Nemo and some new friends along the way, Dory might just find her family.
If you're a Pixar or Finding Nemo fan, I think you'll definitely enjoy this film. It's funny, adorable, and heartwarming. There's something that all ages can enjoy in here. I was very impressed by the overarching theme of Dory and her family learning to cope with her short-term memory loss. I think it's a very relatable theme for people of all ages living with disabilities.
The voice acting in Finding Dory is wonderful. Ellen DeGeneres carries Dory's energy and emotion from scene to scene excellently. Albert Brooks is again great as Marlin, Dory's hesitant friend who is just trying to look out for everyone's best interest. Ed O'Neill is a stand out addition to the cast as Hank. He's a grumpy, but helpful octopus. You know how everyone left Finding Nemo asking for a Dory movie? Now we want a Hank movie. He's kind of amazing.
Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy voice Dory's parents, providing many of the film's emotional moments.
Ty Burrell and Kaitlin Olson are memorable as a whale shark and beluga whale that help Dory on her journey. Idris Elba even joins the cast as an entertaining sea lion. The supporting cast provide so many hilarious and great moments in the film.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this film and would recommend. However, the plot essentially follows the exact same formula as Finding Nemo. Pixar follows a formula that becomes more obvious with every film they release. While their animation and characters are fantastic, I would love it if their plots were a bit more unique.
Combining wonderful animation, adorable characters, and heartwarming moments throughout: Finding Dory is a great summer movie for the whole family.
My Rating: 8/10