‘Dolphin Tale’ tells tale of hope, making difference

One would think a movie that features a dolphin that’s lost its tail, a wounded war hero, a young boy growing up without a father, loads of children missing arms or legs, a dead mom, a crusading doctor and an animal hospital on the brink of closing would collapse under the weight of all the sentimentality.

But in an achievement that’s as remarkable as the idea of fitting a dolphin with a prosthetic tail, director Charles Martin Smith blends all of these elements to make “Dolphin Tale” the king of must-see movies. Just be sure to bring extra tissues.

The film is based on the true story of Winter, a dolphin that loses its tail after being caught in a crab trap. Dolphins cannot exist for long without their tails.

Only the determination of a heartsick young boy, Sawyer (Nathan Gamble), and an optimistic doctor (Harry Connick Jr.) keep alive the hope of saving the dolphin.

Most of the action revolves around Sawyer as he deals with problems at school and home. Had Smith opted to concentrate on the negatives in the young boy’s life, the movie would have succumbed to a tsunami of emotions.

But “Dolphin Tale” is about hope. It’s about how one person – no matter how young – can make a difference, the same formula used in successful family movies such as “Lassie Come Home,” “Babe,” “Benji” and “Flipper.”

Smith has loaded the film with first-rate veteran actors, including Kris Kristofferson and Frances Sternhagen, who give it instant credibility. But it’s Morgan Freeman, as the doctor who creates the faux tail, who brings a snap of energy to the production.

The biggest problem with “Dolphin Tale” is the pitiful 3-D, yet another effort to milk more money from audiences.

Aside from that, the story is sweet, touching, heartbreaking and funny. It makes for the best family film to come along in a decade.