FINDING DORY (2016)

Summary:

Finding Dory is the heartwarming and hilarious sequel to Disney/Pixar's beloved 2003 film, Finding Nemo. The story centers on Dory, the endearing blue tang fish with chronic short-term memory loss, who suddenly recalls fragments of her long-lost family. Prompted by a vivid memory of her parents, she embarks on an epic cross-ocean journey from the coral reef to the "Jewel of Morro Bay, California," determined to reunite with them.

Accompanied by her friends Marlin and Nemo, Dory's quest leads them to the prestigious Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation and research center. Here, Dory encounters a host of new, unforgettable characters, including a grumpy but resourceful septopus named Hank, a nearsighted whale shark named Destiny, and a beluga whale named Bailey who believes his echolocation is broken. As Dory navigates the complex institute, she pieces together her past, confronts her memory challenges, and discovers the true meaning of family, both biological and chosen, proving that even with memory issues, some bonds are simply unforgettable.

Keywords: Finding Dory, 2016, Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Animated, Adventure, Comedy, Family.

Plot:

The film opens with a flashback to Dory's childhood, where she is a tiny blue tang with severe short-term memory loss. Her loving parents, Jenny and Charlie, patiently teach her coping mechanisms, like repeating phrases and following trails of seashells, to help her navigate her condition. Despite their best efforts, Dory accidentally drifts away from them in a strong current, setting off alone into the vast ocean, desperately trying to remember where she came from and where she was going. Years later, Dory is happily living with Marlin and Nemo on the coral reef, a cherished member of their family. While on a field trip with Nemo's class to observe stingray migration, Dory experiences a sudden, vivid memory flash: "The Jewel of Morro Bay, California." This triggers a deeper recollection of her parents, Jenny and Charlie, and the profound realization that she has a family out there waiting for her. Overwhelmed by this unexpected breakthrough, Dory becomes determined to find them.

Marlin, initially hesitant due to Dory's memory issues and their past perilous adventure, reluctantly agrees to accompany her, along with Nemo. Their journey across the ocean is fraught with challenges, including a tense encounter with a giant squid in a sunken ship, which they narrowly escape thanks to Dory's quick thinking and Marlin's bravery. They eventually reach the coast of California and the Marine Life Institute, a sprawling facility dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing marine animals. Upon arrival, Dory, Marlin, and Nemo are swept up by institute staff. Dory is tagged and separated from Marlin and Nemo, ending up in the quarantine section of the institute, a sterile environment filled with various marine life awaiting transfer or release. Here, she encounters Hank, a grumpy, camouflage-expert "septopus" (an octopus with seven tentacles, having lost one). Hank despises the open ocean and longs to be transferred to a permanent aquarium in Cleveland. Dory, recognizing an opportunity, promises Hank her valuable institute tag (which guarantees transfer to Cleveland) in exchange for his help in finding her parents within the complex.

As Dory and Hank navigate the labyrinthine pipes and exhibits of the institute, Dory begins to experience more memory flashes, piecing together fragments of her past. She remembers living at the institute as a young fish after being separated from her parents. She reunites with Destiny, a nearsighted whale shark whom Dory remembers from her youth as her "pipe pal," and Bailey, a beluga whale who believes his echolocation is broken. Destiny reveals that Dory was indeed at the institute years ago and that her parents were also searching for her. Meanwhile, Marlin and Nemo, stranded outside the institute, enlist the help of two lazy but well-meaning sea lions, Fluke and Rudder, and their eccentric loon friend, Becky, to try and get inside and find Dory. Their attempts are comical and often lead to near-disasters, but they remain steadfast in their mission to find their friend. Dory, with Hank's reluctant assistance, eventually makes her way to the "Open Ocean" exhibit, where she remembers her parents told her to wait for them if they ever got separated.

Following a trail of purple shells, the distinctive marker her parents used to guide her, Dory finds an empty enclosure. Overwhelmed by grief and believing her parents are gone forever, she is captured by institute staff and placed in a "touch pool" for children, where she is accidentally separated from Hank. Marlin and Nemo finally manage to get inside the institute and reunite with Dory just as she is being prepared for transfer to Cleveland. However, Dory, still reeling from the apparent loss of her parents, urges them to leave her. A desperate conversation with Nemo, who reminds her of her own advice to "just keep swimming," reignites Dory's determination. She realizes her parents wouldn't have just given up. With renewed hope, Dory escapes the touch pool and, through a series of chaotic events, manages to get herself, Hank, and several other marine animals into the truck bound for Cleveland.

Marlin, Nemo, Destiny, and Bailey, with Becky's help, chase after the truck. Inside the truck, Dory's memory fully returns, and she realizes her parents would have left a continuous shell trail. She formulates a daring plan with Hank: to hijack the truck and release all the marine life back into the ocean. Using Hank's camouflage abilities and Dory's newfound confidence, they manage to take control of the truck, causing it to swerve wildly across the highway. The chaotic chase culminates in the truck crashing into the ocean, allowing all the captive marine animals, including Hank, to escape back into their natural habitat. Back in the ocean, Dory follows the continuous trail of purple shells, which leads her to a heartwarming reunion with her parents, Jenny and Charlie. They reveal they had been leaving shell trails for years, never giving up hope that she would one day find her way back to them. The film concludes with Dory, her parents, Marlin, Nemo, and their new friends Hank, Destiny, and Bailey, all living happily together near the reef, forming a larger, unconventional, but loving family, with Hank having embraced ocean life. Dory's journey has not only brought her back to her biological family but has also strengthened her bond with her chosen family and taught her to embrace her unique self.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Ellen DeGeneres as Dory
• Albert Brooks as Marlin
• Hayden Rolence as Nemo
• Ed O'Neill as Hank
• Kaitlin Olson as Destiny
• Ty Burrell as Bailey
• Diane Keaton as Jenny
• Eugene Levy as Charlie

Crew:

• Director: Andrew Stanton
• Co-Director: Angus MacLane
• Producer: Lindsey Collins
• Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton, Victoria Strouse
• Story by: Andrew Stanton
• Music by: Thomas Newman
• Executive Producer: John Lasseter

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: June 17, 2016
• Language: English
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
• Running Time: 97 minutes
• Accolades: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, numerous Annie Awards nominations and wins including Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production (Ellen DeGeneres) and Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production. It was the highest-grossing animated film of 2016 and the second-highest-grossing film of 2016 overall.