

But Katie brings home a second rescue dog, the shaggy giant, Duke (Eric Stonestreet), who tries to take over. While waiting for her to return each day, he engages with neighboring pets - Gidget the fluffy Pomeranian, Chloe the fat cat, Mel the pug, Buddy the dachshund, Sweetpea the budgie, and Norman the guinea pig. Max (voice of Louis C.K.), a terrier, lives in a New York apartment with his human, Katie. Some 6- or 7-year-olds may be okay with it, but parents need to gauge what they can handle. But note: The second half gets violent enough in imagery and storytelling - and the animation is crisp and real-looking enough - to make the movie an iffy choice for kids younger than 8. THE BOTTOM LINE: The youngest kids might worry during a few scenes near the end, when the fish heroes find themselves in a crazy highway escapade far from seawater, or feel sad at the various times Dory gets lost and feels alone.Īny doting pet owner or animal lover, whether child or adult, will chuckle and occasionally howl at this cleverly conceived animated feature.

While Marlin and Nemo try to get in, Dory makes friends with Hank (Ed O’Neill), a crabby octopus Destiny (Kaitlin Olson), a nearsighted whale shark and Bailey (Ty Burrell), a beluga whale. Near the (real) Marine Life Institute, Dory gets captured and plopped in a tank. Marlin and Nemo go with her to find them. Dory still has short-term memory loss, but a sudden flash of recollection tells her the parents she became separated from long ago (shown in a poignant flashback) are in California.

Dory the blue tang (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) lives with Marlin the clownfish (Albert Brooks) and his son, Nemo, as her surrogate family. It’s a year after the events in the first film. Never fear - the film is still a treat and has a hugely happy ending - but getting there involves some emotional leaps. Without sermonizing, it also embodies the idea of accepting all differently abled creatures as integral to life. Its PG rating reflects a vein of sadness that was not mined as deeply in the first film. This film is fine for kids 6 and older, but it may trigger their emotions more than parents expect. Swimming alongside the rich humor, quirky characters and oceanic treats in “Finding Dory” is a more melancholy undertow than in the G-rated “Finding Nemo” (2003).
