Finding Nemo (2003)

Finding Nemo - 2003

Shark Week continues with 2003's "Finding Nemo".  Though not a conventional shark film, this movie nonetheless does feature a pretty good shark sequence which seeks to establish that sharks are not mindless eating machines.  I'll go over the main plot points and focus in on our shark friends.

The film's voice cast includes Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Austin Pendleton, Geoffrey Rush, Andrew Stanton, Elizabeth Perkins, Eric Bana, Erik Per Sullivan, and John Ratzenberger.

Nemo is an energetic young clownfish who lives on a reef with his overprotective father Marlin.  Nemo has a under-developed fin, which causes difficulties for him.

On his first ever day of school, Nemo seeks to rebel and prove his independence when his father shows up and starts ordering him around.  Unfortunately, Nemo gets caught by some divers and taken away as his father looks on horrified.

Marlin chases after Nemo.  Along the way, he runs into a fish named Dory, who suffers from short-term memory loss.  She's quite a character (she even speaks whale!).  She also says funny things in her sleep (such as "sea monkey took my money", "careful of that hammer", "yes, I'm a natural blue").

The diver who took Nemo turns out to be a dentist who places Nemo in his office fish tank.  He plans on giving Nemo to his troublesome niece Darla as a present.  The tank is full of fish who are perpetually trying to find a way to escape and return to "the big blue".

On their way to rescue Nemo, Marlin and Dory have to navigate jellyfish infested waters and find their way to the East Australian Current.  They are helped along the way by some totally tubular turtles!

Also, a pesky flock of seagulls is anxious to claim anything they think is food.  "Mine!"  "Mine!"  "Mine!"

And watching Dory try to speak whale in an attempt to hitch a ride is absolutely hilarious!

Don't worry.  Everyone gets back to the reef safely, including Dory, who now has a new home and new friends to keep her company.

Now, as promised, our shark sequence.  Marlin and Dory come face to face with a great white shark named Bruce.  Marlin is very apprehensive, Dory not so much.  Bruce invites them "to a little get together I'm havin'".

This little "get together" turns out to be a sort of twelve-step program for sharks wanting to get away from eating other fish.

There's even a pledge they have to recite at the beginning of each meeting.  "I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine.  If I am to change this image, I must first change myself.  Fish are friends not food."

Two other sharks are also part of the meeting.  Their names are Anchor and Chum.

For this edition of their meeting, each participant was supposed to bring a fish friend.  Anchor proudly shows off his friend, but Chum says he's misplaced his.  Marlin is horrified.

Bruce tells Chum not to worry.  He can help himself to one of his friends.  "A little chum for Chum," says Chum as he embraces a nervous Marlin.

During a misunderstanding with Marlin, Dory gets injured and a bloody nose.  Too bad for her, because Bruce is right there to breathe in that aroma he loves so well.  "Ooh, that's good," he says with an evil grin.  "I'm havin' fish tonight!"

Dory and Marlin must swim for their lives in an effort to get away from the crazed Bruce.  His friends Anchor and Chum apologize profusely to Dory, telling him he's not really a bad guy.  In the end, we find that out.  Bruce and his friends keep inviting Dory to meetings and encourage her to "keep up with the program".

Cast rundown:

   Albert Brooks..............................Marlin

   Ellen DeGeneres..........................Dory

   Alexander Gould..........................Nemo

   Willem Dafoe..............................Gil

   Brad Garrett...............................Blow

   Allison Janney.............................Peach

   Austin Pendleton.........................Gurgle

   Geoffrey Rush.............................Nigel

   Andrew Stanton..........................Crush

   Elizabeth Perkins.........................Coral

   Eric Bana...................................Anchor

   Erik Per Sullivan..........................Sheldon

   John Ratzenberger.......................Fish School

And that's it for Finding Nemo.  This film has definitely been enduringly popular.  It's even spawned a hugely successful sequel, which features Dory's story.  This film became the first Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

In case you were worried, all of Nemo's fish tank friends made a break for it and really did end up in the "big blue".  Only they did it coronavirus style.  Don't you think this is how we're all meeting with each other nowadays?

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