AND A HEART-WARMER TO ROUND IT OFF : "DOLPHIN TALE"

Ok, so, this little lady, the hero of this real life story, is not really dangerous. She’s quite something though; she is a force to be reckoned with. Trouble is she is not actually human either. Some of you might remember the story of Winter, a dolphin in Florida. The film is inspired by her story, although I strongly suspect some of the characters are added on, the main bulk of the story – Winter’s story – is very much a reality. Sawyer is a bit of an oddball. He isn’t good at sport, he isn’t social, and he is kind of closed and quiet. He is nothing like his older cousin Kyle, a successful swimmer, now going into the army, social and outgoing. He is quite content living in a world of his own until coincidence means he runs into a dolphin, trust up in the ropes of a crab trap. She is badly injured, the rope has cut off most of the circulation to her tail and she seems to have lost the will to live. Luckily the marine hospital and aquarium are close by so the dolphin is delivered into safe hands. For Sawyer, this is a revelation. He literally cannot keep away from the marine hospital and in time becomes friends with Winter and the whole staff there including Dr. Clay and his daughter Hazel. The thing is, Winter’s injuries mean her tail has to be amputated. And with the marine hospital risking shutting down due to lack of funds, will anyone want to lend a helping hand /fin to an amputee dolphin? Now, any of you who have actually followed the story in the news pretty much knows what happens. But honestly this is not the main attraction of the film. The story itself, like I said is basically made up – not the winter bit, I strongly suspect the characters around it though. The “lost” boy finding himself through the company of an animal (Free Willy – anyone? And that’s only the latest incarnation) is by no means original. Hazel’s mother – Dr. Clay’s wife – is dead. Sawyer’s father left when he was five. Hint, hint. There is a goofy mascot running around the place (isn’t there always – a rogue pelican of all things). There is a wise grandfather, guiding the way. The two 11 year-olds – a girl and a boy – are clearly each other’s’ true love – they just don’t know it yet. The hospital WOULD be risking shutting down. And as you can probably imagine the cousin comes back from the front injured and depressed (rightly so I might add) but Winter “nurses” him back to life too. Which would be fine in itself if she already hadn’t nursed Sawyer back to life, i.e. they used the same trop twice. It works but I mean, still. Anyway, you get the picture, all the clichés of a feel good movie, and then a few. But it is a true story. The real Winter actually “acts” in it as herself so watching her is fun. And there are quite a few “aww” moments where I went a bit dewy eyed. Not least when Winter turns upside down to show the depressed and now disabled Kyle her amputated stump as if to say “Look, I’m like you”. I just welled up, I will not lie. It’s a good ‘un all in all. I mean it’s not high art. But who cares. Get a glass of wine, a box of chocolates, a couple of good friends and go “aaah” at it. It’ll go down a treat.