Dolphin Tale

PG
Starring: Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson, Morgan Freeman, Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff.
1 Hour and 52 Minutes

This movie is based on the true story of Sawyer (Nathan Gamble), an 11 year old middle school student who is lonely and sad after his father has abandoned he and his mother (Ashley Judd). He is very close with his cousin Kyle who was a High School all-star swimmer and is being deployed in the Military. He is struggling to get through summer school when he comes upon a man working with a beached dolphin and demanding the use of his cell phone. The dolphin was caught up in a crab trap with ropes and is severely injured. Sawyer cuts the ropes to try and help free the dolphin. The marine rescue team is called and they take the dolphin in to try and rehabilitate it. Sawyer locates the aquarium where they take the injured dolphin and goes inside. While there he is met by a young girl named Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff) and she sneaks him in to see the dolphin which she has already named "Winter". Her father, Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.) is a marine veterinarian and a very private person. When he realizes that Sawyer has formed a bond with the dolphin he allows him to come around and spend time with Winter.
They diagnose that the dolphins tail was broke and dolphins have to use their tails to swim and stay afloat. They try desperately to try and nurse her back to health.
When Sawyers cousin Kyle is injured by a bomb and sent home to the Veterans Hospital, he encounters Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman) who is a specialist in prosthetics.
He helps a very depressed cousin Kyle to overcome his injury and they decide to try and help Winter as well. After several tries, they are finally successful.
This is truly a great movie. It deals with a lot of life's current trials that we are all dealing with today. The devastation of war injuries, the economic conditions, a hurricane, abandonment, death and belief and hope that everything will be okay!
I really enjoyed this movie and it pulled at my heart strings, and knowing that it is a true story even made it that much better. I would recommend this movie for adults and children over the age of six because of the injuries.