Watch Dolphin Tale

Dolphin Tale is a 2011 American family drama movie directed by Charles Martin Smith, starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr., and Nathan Gamble. The movie is based on a true story about a dolphin that was rescued in 2005 and fitted with a prosthetic tail after she got caught in a crab trap and severely damaged her tail.

The story revolves around the main character, a young boy named Sawyer Nelson, who is struggling with his teenage years and feels disconnected from his family and friends. One day, he comes across an injured dolphin on the beach, who he helps to rescue and brings to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where the dolphin is taken care of by a team of marine biologists and veterinarians.

In the hospital, Sawyer meets Dr. Clay Haskett, the head of the marine center, who informs him that the dolphin's tail is severely injured and will have to be amputated. This would mean that the dolphin would not be able to swim or survive in the wild. The hospital team decides to try a revolutionary new procedure of fitting the dolphin with a prosthetic tail.

The prosthetic tail is designed and built by a team of engineers, led by Dr. Cameron McCarthy, who is played by Morgan Freeman. While working on designing the prosthetic tail, McCarthy forms a relationship with Sawyer and teaches him about marine biology and the importance of science and technology in animal care.

Throughout the movie, the storyline also focuses on the relationships between the human characters. Sawyer develops a close relationship with Hazel Haskett, Dr. Haskett's daughter played by Cozi Zuehlsdorff, who helps Sawyer come out of his shell and find self-confidence.

Meanwhile, Sawyer's mother, Lorraine, played by Ashley Judd, is dealing with the financial difficulties of raising a family and is contemplating sending Sawyer to boarding school. Sawyer's cousin, Kyle, played by Austin Stowell, who is a championship swimmer, comes to visit and helps Sawyer to overcome his reservations about swimming.

As the story progresses, the team works to fit the dolphin, named Winter, with the prosthetic tail, which is a very difficult and expensive procedure. The team also has to deal with opposition from the USDA, which threatens to shut down the hospital due to financial constraints.

In the end, the team is successful in fitting Winter with the prosthetic tail and her story becomes famous around the world. The movie ends with a tribute to the real Winter, who is still swimming today with the prosthetic tail.

Overall, Dolphin Tale is a heartwarming and inspiring movie that shows the power of human ingenuity and resilience in caring for and rehabilitating animals. The movie also explores important themes of friendship, family, and the critical importance of science and technology in animal care. The performances of the cast, especially Morgan Freeman, are excellent and the breathtaking underwater cinematography adds to the beauty of the story. This is a movie that the whole family can enjoy together.

Dolphin Tale is a 2011 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 53 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 64.