Finding Dory
Recommended. Age: 6+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
Dory is a blue fish who forgets things almost right away. One day she remembers that she has a mom and dad, and she sets out to find them. Her friends Marlin and Nemo help her, even when it is dangerous. Her parents never stopped hoping she would come home. A child with a disability is loved without conditions, and her parents wait for her for years. That picture of faithful love is real and good. One short park shot shows two women with a baby; nothing romantic is shown, and the parent guide explains it. There are also scary moments, including a squid attack and a small fish alone and lost. Age 6, set by Common Sense Media (6+).
For parents
Age 6, set by Common Sense Media (6+). Rated PG. Catholic News Service classifies it A-I, general patronage. Greydanus at the National Catholic Register says kids and up. Things to know: a giant squid attacks and grabs Nemo. A truck crashes. Dory is stung by an anemone. Flashbacks show little Dory lost and alone, which can upset young children more than the action does. Plugged In logs 'heck no,' 'shoot,' 'oh my gosh' and 'holy carp.' Dory starts to explain where babies come from and is cut off. Marlin jokes to the squid that they will worship it. One brief shot is worth knowing about: two women in a park with a baby. Plugged In says nothing in the shot shows what their relationship is. Slashfilm says they 'appear to be the mothers of a baby.' Asked about it, co-director Andrew Stanton said, 'They can be whatever you want them to be. There's no right or wrong answer,' and producer Lindsey Collins said, 'We never asked them.' No kiss or affection is reported, and most children will not notice. If yours do, tell them plainly that God made marriage for one man and one woman, and that every child is a gift who deserves a mother and a father. Ask: why did Dory's parents keep hoping? How do Marlin and Nemo treat Dory when she forgets? How should we treat people who need extra help?