‘Dolphin Tale’ charming and picturesque

Life isn’t always the party we hope for, but as Amelia Earhart once said, “What do dreams know of boundaries?” “Dolphin Tale”

Directed by Charles Martin Smith

Starring: Winter, Nathan Gamble, Morgan Freeman

Grade: A-

Life isn’t always the party we hope for, but as Amelia Earhart once said, “What do dreams know of boundaries?”

Despite a painfully slow beginning, “Dolphin Tale” is a breath of fresh air in the midst of cliched screenplays. Based on a true story, the plot revolves around a rescued dolphin, but offers a contemporary twist — a prosthetic tail for a tailless dolphin.

The Clearwater Marine Hospital rescued a dolphin named Winter after her tail was taken off by a rudder. When a storm causes damage to the hospital, they’re forced to move and must work to find someone to make a prosthetic tail for Winter and the resources to do it with the help of two children, Sawyer and his friend Hazel.

Nathan Gamble does an excellent job of playing the reserved, guarded 11-year-old Sawyer. His reclusive character is in stark contrast to both his overly talkative friend Hazel and the incredibly friendly dolphin Winter, who plays herself in the movie. And she is indeed a treat for the eyes: Her tricks and acts were well-choreographed and flawlessly performed.

Sawyer and Winter’s relationship is excruciatingly dragged out in melodramatic scenes that fail to impress. But the movie starts to pick up speed when a storm devastates the town and the tailless dolphin’s only chance of survival is a prosthetic tail.

Breathtaking cinematography paired with a simple location create a picturesque setting for “Dolphin Tale,” especially in the aquarium of the Clearwater Marine Hospital and the town of Clearwater, Fla.. Beautiful and vivid moments are captured in the film, like the bridge Sawyer bikes across every day, which overlooks a strikingly gorgeous expanse of water and forest-like greenery.

The plot really begins to take off when Dr. McCarthy (Morgan Freeman) attempts to design a prosthetic tail for Winter and Sawyer and Hazel manage to persuade Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.) to use public support to save the dolphin. The two 11-year-olds organize bake sales, carnivals and finally a show by the star herself. This results in a feel-good inspirational conclusion, although it doesn’t entirely avoid cliche.

Although it’s a moving film, it doesn’t ooze a cheesy plotline, no matter how unoriginal its ending. The entire movie is reasonably realistic, which might be an attempt to stick to the original story while still maintaining a credible ending. Most importantly, it does an admirable job of taking a real-life story and turning it into a dramatic, captivating movie experience that captures the original inspiration behind it.