movie review finding nemo

Finding Nemo

“Finding Nemo” has all of the usual pleasures of the Pixar animation style–the comedy and wackiness of “ Toy Story ” or “Monsters Inc.” or “ A Bug's Life .” And it adds an unexpected beauty, a use of color and form that makes it one of those rare movies where I wanted to sit in the front row and let the images wash out to the edges of my field of vision. The movie takes place almost entirely under the sea, in the world of colorful tropical fish–the flora and fauna of a shallow warm-water shelf not far from Australia. The use of color, form and movement make the film a delight even apart from its story.

There is a story, though, one of those Pixar inventions that involves kids on the action level while adults are amused because of the satire and human (or fishy) comedy. The movie involves the adventures of little Nemo, a clown fish born with an undersized fin and an oversized curiosity. His father, Marlin, worries obsessively over him, because Nemo is all he has left: Nemo’s mother and all of her other eggs were lost to barracudas. When Nemo goes off on his first day of school, Marlin warns him to stay with the class and avoid the dangers of the drop-off to deep water, but Nemo forgets, and ends up as a captive in the salt-water aquarium of a dentist in Sydney. Marlin swims off bravely to find his missing boy, aided by Dory, a blue tang with enormous eyes who he meets along the way.

These characters are voiced by actors whose own personal mannerisms are well known to us; I recognized most of the voices, but even the unidentified ones carried buried associations from movie roles, and so somehow the fish take on qualities of human personalities. Marlin, for example, is played by Albert Brooks as an overprotective, neurotic worrywart, and Dory is Ellen DeGeneres as helpful, cheerful and scatterbrained (she has a problem with short-term memory). The Pixar computer animators, led by writer-director Andrew Stanton , create an undersea world that is just a shade murky, as it should be; we can’t see as far or as sharply in sea water, and so threats materialize more quickly, and everything has a softness of focus. There is something dreamlike about the visuals of “Finding Nemo,” something that evokes the reverie of scuba-diving.

The picture’s great inspiration is to leave the sea by transporting Nemo to that big tank in the dentist’s office. In it we meet other captives, including the Moorish Idol fish Gill (voice by Willem Dafoe ), who are planning an escape. Now it might seem to us that there is no possible way a fish can escape from an aquarium in an office and get out of the window and across the highway and into the sea, but there is no accounting for the ingenuity of these creatures, especially since they have help from a conspirator on the outside–a pelican with the voice of Geoffrey Rush .

It may occur to you that many pelicans make a living by eating fish, not rescuing them, but some of the characters in this movie have evolved admirably into vegetarians. As Marlin and Dory conduct their odyssey, for example, they encounter three carnivores who have formed a chapter of Fish-Eaters Anonymous, and chant slogans to remind them that they abstain from fin-based meals.

The first scenes in “Finding Nemo” are a little unsettling, as we realize the movie is going to be about fish, not people (or people-based characters like toys and monsters). But of course animation has long since learned to enlist all other species in the human race, and to care about fish quickly becomes as easy as caring about mice or ducks or Bambi.

When I review a movie like “Finding Nemo,” I am aware that most members of its primary audience do not read reviews. Their parents do, and to them and adults who do not have children as an excuse, I can say that “Finding Nemo” is a pleasure for grown-ups. There are jokes we get that the kids don’t, and the complexity of Albert Brooks’ neuroses, and that enormous canvas filled with creatures that have some of the same hypnotic beauty as–well, fish in an aquarium. They may appreciate another novelty: This time the dad is the hero of the story, although in most animation it is almost always the mother.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Willem Dafoe as Gill
• Albert Brooks as Marlin
• Brad Garrett as Bloat
• Alexander Gould as Nemo
• Ellen Degeneres as Dory
• Barry Humphries as Bruce
• Geoffrey Rush as Pelican

Written and Directed by

• Andrew Stanton

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Finding nemo.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 134 Reviews
• Kids Say 293 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?

Sweet father-son tale has some very scary moments.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that even though there are no traditional bad guys in Finding Nemo , there are still some very scary moments, including large creatures with zillions of sharp teeth, the apparent death of a major character, and many tense scenes with characters in peril. And at the very beginning of the…

Why Age 5+?

Scary creatures with lots of very sharp teeth, the apparent death of a major cha

Though there aren't any real brands used in the movie itself, this is part of th

The sharks attend a 12-step-type of meeting to get them to stop eating fish, but

In the short film Knick Knack, which appears on some DVDs, the female characters

Any Positive Content?

Diverse characters get along well, and a disabled character is brave and capable

Nemo's dad is protective (sometimes overly), loving, and determined when it come

Though not intended as an educational movie, kids will pick up facts about sea c

Violence & Scariness

Scary creatures with lots of very sharp teeth, the apparent death of a major character, and many tense scenes with characters in peril.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Though there aren't any real brands used in the movie itself, this is part of the Disney-Pixar dynasty, with plenty of merchandise associated with the film.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The sharks attend a 12-step-type of meeting to get them to stop eating fish, but only adults will get the reference.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

In the short film Knick Knack , which appears on some DVDs, the female characters have exaggerated breasts.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Diverse characters get along well, and a disabled character is brave and capable. A father searches tirelessly for his son and learns a lesson in letting go and letting him grow up. Major themes include compassion, gratitude, perseverance, and courage.

Positive Role Models

Nemo's dad is protective (sometimes overly), loving, and determined when it comes to finding his son. He makes mistakes, but he learns from them. Nemo is brave (and sometimes defiant) and learns lessons about working together. He doesn't let his disability slow him down.

Educational Value

Though not intended as an educational movie, kids will pick up facts about sea creatures and perhaps an interest in learning more about the ocean.

Parents need to know that even though there are no traditional bad guys in Finding Nemo , there are still some very scary moments, including large creatures with zillions of sharp teeth, the apparent death of a major character, and many tense scenes with characters in peril. And at the very beginning of the movie, Marlin's wife and all but one of their eggs are eaten by a predator -- a scene that could very well upset little kids. Expect a little potty humor amid the movie's messages of teamwork, determination, loyalty, and a father's never-ending love for his son. The issue of Nemo's stunted fin is handled exceptionally well -- matter-of-factly but frankly. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (134)
• Kids say (293)

Based on 134 parent reviews

Scary and poor taste

What's the story.

In FINDING NEMO, clown fish Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks ) is a fond but nervous dad -- understandably so, since a predator ate his wife and all but one of their eggs. When it's time for Marlin's surviving son, Nemo (Alexander Gould) -- who has an underdeveloped fin -- to start school, the little guy is excited, but Marlin is terrified. Marlin has done a good job of making Nemo feel confident and unselfconscious, but he's still overprotective, which makes Nemo anxious to prove that he can take care of himself. But Marlin's worst fears are realized when Nemo is captured by a deep-sea-diving dentist who collects fish for his aquarium. On a journey that will introduce him to extraordinary characters and teach him a great deal about the world and even more about himself, Marlin must go literally to the end of the ocean to find his son and bring him home. On the way he meets Dory ( Ellen DeGeneres ), a cheerful blue tang who has a problem with short-term memory loss. They search for Nemo together in the face of stinging jellyfish, exploding mines, and creatures with many, many, teeth. Meanwhile, Nemo makes some very good friends in the dentist's aquarium, including a tough tiger fish ( Willem Dafoe ) who helps him plan an escape. The 2012 DVD release includes the short film Knick Knack .

Is It Any Good?

Pixar may have the most advanced animation technology in the world, but they never forget that what matters most in a movie is story, characters, imagination, and heart. Finding Nemo has it all. Yes, it's a visual feast (the play of light on the water is breathtaking), but above all it's an epic journey filled with adventure and discovery that encompasses the grandest sweep of ocean vastness and the smallest longing of the heart. While preserving the characters' essential "fishy-ness," Pixar and the talented voice actors have also made them each wonderfully expressive.

While there are certainly some terrifying-looking creatures and scary moments in Finding Nemo -- including the off-screen death of Marlin's wife and future children -- there really are no bad guys here; the danger comes from a child's thoughtlessness and from natural perils. And there are no angry, jealous, greedy, or murderous villains as in most traditional Disney animated films. (One of the movie's best jokes is that even the toothy sharks are so friendly that, in an AA-style program, they keep reminding one another that "fish are friends, not food.") Another strength of the movie is the way it handles Nemo's disability. But best of all is the way it addresses questions that are at the heart of the parent-child relationship, giving everyone in the audience something to relate to and learn from.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how parents have to balance their wish to protect their children from being hurt (physically or emotionally) with the need to let them grow up and learn how to take care of themselves, like Marlin has to in Finding Nemo . Kids: How do your parents handle this?

Talk about Nemo's disability and about how everyone has different abilities. How do you know what your abilities are, and what do you do to make the most of them?

What parts of the movie were scary? Why? Did anything that you think was going to be scary turn out not to be so bad?

How do the characters in Finding Nemo demonstrate perseverance and courage ? What about compassion and gratitude ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 30, 2003
• On DVD or streaming : December 4, 2012
• Cast : Albert Brooks , Ellen DeGeneres , Willem Dafoe
• Directors : Andrew Stanton , Lee Unkrich
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Lesbian actors
• Studio : Pixar Animation Studios
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Adventures , Ocean Creatures
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Gratitude , Perseverance
• Run time : 101 minutes
• MPAA rating : G
• Awards : Common Sense Media Award , Kids' Choice Award
• Last updated : July 31, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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‘finding nemo’: thr’s 2003 review.

On May 30, 2003, Pixar unveiled 'Finding Nemo' in theaters.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

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On May 30, 2003, Pixar unveiled Finding Nemo, which opened to $70 million in its first weekend, a then record debut for an animated title. The film went on to win the best animated feature Oscar at the 76th Academy Awards. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below: 

Diving into their most realistic and ambitious setting yet, the talents at Pixar have produced an exhilarating fish story in the perfectly cast comic adventure Finding Nemo . Not as flat-out inventive as Monsters, Inc.  or as sardonic as A Bug’s Life  and the Toy Story  pics, Nemo  finds its own sparkling depths, achieving a less mechanical feel than its predecessors through a stripped-down, fluid narrative and new levels of visual nuance.

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'better off dead': thr's 1985 review, 'saratoga': thr's 1937 review.

Pixar vet Andrew Stanton demonstrates confidence and exuberance in his first stint at the helm, working from a script he co-wrote with Bob Peterson and David Reynolds. With the exception of toddlers who might find a few scary moments too intense, kids will get right into the flow of Nemo , while those viewers old enough to drive will appreciate the plentiful humor designed to sail right over kids’ heads — not least of which is the inspired chemistry between leads Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres. Disney is primed to make a whale of a splash at the summer box office.

The marine milieu calls for more visual delicacy and aural subtlety than in past Pixar features — challenges the filmmakers have met through the work of myriad technicians and artists. Before taking poetic license with their CG creations (real fish don’t have eyebrows), the animators and designers took lessons in ichthyology (among other things), to good effect. Their imagery captures not only the play of light through the ocean’s depths, but the texture of its roiling surface and the luminescence and character-defining locomotion of its inhabitants. Add to that Gary Rydstrom’s meticulous sound design and the grown-up music score by Thomas Newman, and the result is the most complex and fully realized environment of any Pixar film.

Nemo  dazzles from the get-go, beginning with a pre-credits sequence that might prove more frightening to parents than kids, dramatizing as it does the notion that bad things can happen even in suburbia. Clown-fish couple Marlin and Coral (Brooks, Elizabeth Perkins) have just moved to a nice, quiet neighborhood of the Great Barrier Reef — a peaceful vista of jewel-toned sponges, anemones and sea grasses, and a good place to raise their 400 offspring, who will soon be hatching. Tragedy strikes, leaving Marlin widowed with one survivor in the fish nursery, whom he names Nemo and swears to protect always.

It’s no wonder that Marlin turns out to be a nervous, overprotective father who follows little Nemo (Alexander Gould) on his first day of, um, fish school. Nemo’s a spirited kid with an endearing flaw — a smaller right fin that flutters constantly — and a healthy sense of rebellion, which he takes to extremes in Dad’s anxious presence, venturing off the reef into open waters. A diver promptly snares him as an exotic specimen.

Propelled by his frantic search for Nemo, Marlin ventures farther than he’d ever dreamed of going, joined by good-hearted blue tang Dory (DeGeneres). She’s eager to help and unfazable, the perfect complement to Marlin’s neurotic timidity, however exasperating her continual lapses in short-term memory become. They’re two lost souls: He provides her with a purpose, and she lends the traumatized Marlin a newfound resilience, as well as being able to read the Sydney address on the mask the diver left behind. Their journey to the big city unfolds as a series of set pieces centering on encounters with would-be predators and helpful sea folk.

Nemo, meanwhile, is welcomed into a community of fish-tank eccentrics in a dentist’s office not far from Sydney Harbor. A scarred, self-possessed Moorish idol named Gill (Willem Dafoe) is the only one of Nemo’s tank mates who wasn’t born in a pet shop, and the wide-eyed youngster inspires him to devise the latest in a long series of ludicrous escape plans. The goal is to get Nemo home before the dentist presents him as a birthday gift to his terror of a niece (LuLu Ebeling), a deliciously funny concoction of brute force and braces.

There’s a built-in poignancy to the dynamic between son and single father that neither the script nor the actors overstate. That Nemo has no expectation his father will lift a fin to find him is the dark center of the story, setting in bright relief Marlin’s every dance with danger as he pursues his stolen child. There’s an especially perilous dash through a field of translucent pink jellyfish, culminating in a moment straight out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers , with Marlin struggling to keep Dory from falling into a deadly narcotic sleep. But it’s not all rough waters: They also luck into the good vibes of surfer-dude turtles who take them through the East Australian Current. Director Stanton is a standout as sea turtle Crush, a mellow dad who teaches Marlin a lesson or two about the parental art of letting go.

The whole cast is aces, with turns from such vibrant talents as Barry Humphries, playing the repentant leader of a self-help group for sharks who are trying to beat the fish-eating habit, and John Ratzenberger as an annoyingly helpful bunch of moonfish showoffs. Geoffrey Rush voices a Sydney pelican who’s well-versed in dental procedure, Allison Janney is a vigilant starfish, and Joe Ranft provides a French accent for a finicky shrimp.

But it’s the give-and-take between DeGeneres and Brooks that gives the saga its big heart. DeGeneres’ character was created with her in mind, so it makes sense that Dory is a fish with freckles, lips and a rueful smile. When, in an episode of lovely, freewheeling lunacy, she insists on communicating with a blue whale in its native language, the combination of vocal calisthenics and facial contortions is sublime.

Her goofy compassion would have only half the impact, however, without Brooks’ contrasting nebbish-turned-hero. It’s hard to imagine another actor who could deliver lines as angst-ridden and deliriously funny. This is, after all, the tale of a father who not only transcends fear to find his son against all odds, but who learns how to tell a joke along the way. — Sheri Linden, originally published May 27, 2003.

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Finding Nemo Reviews

Outside of being one of the greatest animated films of its generation, it’s got a delightful sense of humor.

Full Review | Aug 4, 2023

Pixar's Finding Nemo elevated their already visionary and pioneering output to the thematic level of Hayao Miyazaki.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 14, 2022

Easily Pixar's most colorful and joyous movie.

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Sep 18, 2021

Finding Nemo teaches the classic Pixar/Disney lessons about the importance of family, acceptance, kindness, and love, but it also an exciting tale of adventure, overcoming adversity, and teamwork.

Full Review | Apr 1, 2021

In its story, characters, and visuals, Finding Nemo reminds us of how remarkable- and poignant- a well made family film can be.

Full Review | Mar 11, 2021

The visuals are as sharp as the scripting, succeeding with laughs, thrills, heartache, and unforgettable characterizations to craft an animated masterpiece.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Sep 29, 2020

Compared to other Pixar films, this may not be as good as the Toy Story franchise, but it's awfully close.

Full Review | Nov 16, 2019

A family film that is truly for the whole family - from grandpop to grandson. Finding Nemo is a precious gem in the Pixar and Disney vaults. Exquisitely stunning, enchanting and magical from start to finish.

Full Review | Nov 8, 2019

It's downright curmudgeonly to remain focused on the negatives when the rest of the picture is saturated with invention and wit.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 20, 2019

Pixar really knocked it out of the park on this one.

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Apr 26, 2019

Most of all, Finding Nemo is a touching tale which reassures you that even though things may look bleak, it will all turn out well in the end.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 4, 2019

Finding Nemo offers as much in terms of thrills, frights, humour and psychological insight as it does in pure technical skill, proving that a movie can be art without being an "art" movie.

Full Review | Jan 11, 2018

This gem of a film is the one with which Pixar asserted their supremacy over the animated world.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 28, 2017

...a good-but-hardly-great animated endeavor from Pixar.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 30, 2016

Finding Nemo is ultimately a rewarding, engaging, compelling, and even spiritual adventure that works charismatically on multiple levels.

Full Review | Jul 29, 2015

It looks great, of course: All the Pixar movies do. But the genius of those other movies lay in their actual stories -- stories as inspired as the animation.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 29, 2015

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 29, 2015

Visually, Finding Nemo is spectacular. The animators render theses scenes with exquisite detail and vibrant color, reaching beyond mere CGI-wizardry to artistry.

A beguiling piece of storytelling and creates a magical underwater world through its imaginative graphics and sound effects.

Artistically, it's up there with the all-time animated greats.

Finding Nemo Review

01 Jan 2003

104 minutes

Finding Nemo

No doubt there is a scientific explanation for why human eyes are always drawn to a tank full of tropical fish. Whatever the fascination is, the Pixar boys have it rumbled - so entrancing is the composition of this animated fishy tale.

On paper, a story about fish doesn't sound as engaging as a yarn about cuddlier critters or the secret life of toys. But, of course, the eye-catching marine life in Finding Nemo is more human than piscine. Marlin is a red-and-white clownfish at pains to correct the misconception that his species is funny. He can't tell a joke to save his life and has been a bundle of nerves since his mate and her eggs were eaten. The sole survivor was Nemo, who, in a differently-abled touch, has an under-developed fin and has been kept sheltered in the anemone they call home. Rebellious, he wanders off perillously close to a fishing boat, is caught, and gets plopped into a Sydney dentist's waiting-room aquarium, where senior prisoner Gill is plotting a great escape with the kind of ingenuity and daring immortalised in the more upbeat prisoner-of-war movies.

Anthropomorphism runs (or is that swims?) riot on Marlin's quest. One of the characters, somehow, fortuitously reads English. A toothsome trio of sharks (led vocally by Barry Humphries) have formed a Fish-Eaters Anonymous chapter which meets in a wrecked submarine to forswear cannibalism (pity we aren't told what the alternative nourishment is). And reports of the devoted father's courageous journey spread through the ocean and above it until a multiplicity of genuses are rooting him on. This passes the point of absurdity when Marlin hitches a lift to Australia with thrill-seeking stoner turtles who talk like Bill and Ted.

Yet it's all beautifully composed and consistently charming, as Disney's bacon-saving association with the inventive Pixar studio strikes gold again in a perfectly family-oriented pitch of adventure, humour and thinly-veiled life lessons for the sprats.

The voice cast is highly recognisable and the scripted characterisations capitalise on actors' familiar mannerisms - particularly Brooks' perennially neurotic, pessimistic schtick wrapped up in the anxious Marlin; DeGeneres' perky, goofy Dory (who wittily suffers from short-term memory loss and regularly has to be reminded of the story so far); Dafoe's sinister gravitas in the battered, grimly determined Gill; and Rush's uninhibited pizzazz for Nigel the pelican.

Grown-ups may experience some restlessness as sentimentality seeps in. But there are nods to adults in fun homages to Psycho, Pinocchio and The Terminator (the pelican getting the immortal line, "Hop inside my mouth if you want to live"), in almost subliminal leg-pulls (a moored boat named The Surly Mermaid), and in a postscript visual gag that makes sitting through the end credits essential. The style is a triumph in the use of colour, movement and effects - notably in the detailed schools of fishes, the emergence of figures from the blurry depths and a 'swirling vortex of terror' sequence.

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Finding Nemo (2003)

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A review by Dave09

Written by dave09 on january 14, 2014.

One of the best animated films I have ever seen. Great characters, amusing animation, and laugh-out-loud humor. Also, watch for the little skit shown after the credits. It's all great stuff that simply must be seen.

A review by r96sk

Written by r96sk on july 22, 2020.

Utterly stunning.

There isn't anything to dislike about 'Finding Nemo', it sets the tone perfectly and expertly tells the tale of Nemo, Marlin and Dory. Considering how the story goes, the film does an outstanding job at seamlessly switching between Nemo's adventure and his father's - it's truly terrifically done.

This also includes a whole bunch of memorable characters and voices. Alexander Gould, Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres are the obvious stars as the early mentioned trio. There's a load of others though, with Willem Dafoe (Gill), Geoffrey Rush (Nigel) and Barry Humphrie... read the rest.

A review by John

Written by john on april 7, 2021.

Awesome ocean visuals and fun story do a good job glossing over dark themes of loss, addiction, hopelessness and despair.

A review by CinemaSerf

Written by cinemaserf on june 9, 2023.

"Nemo" is your typically adventurous and curious offspring. Living amidst the wonders of the Barrier Reef has began to wear on the young clownfish, though, and he yearns for the open ocean. His dad knows best and has forbidden him from leaving the safety of their home waters but one day his nose gets the better of him as he espies a fishing boat and next thing he is caught by a diver who whisks him off to the surgery of a dentist where he is deposited in a tank with some fellow prisoners - awaiting the arrival of the man's daughter who is to be the new owner of "Nemo". Now young as he is, he's... read the rest.

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• DVD & Streaming

Finding Nemo

• Action/Adventure , Animation , Comedy , Drama , Kids

Content Caution

In Theaters

• May 30, 2003
• Voices of Albert Brooks as Marlin; Ellen DeGeneres as Dory; Alexander Gould as Nemo; Willem Dafoe as Gill, Geoffrey Rush as Nigel; Andrew Stanton as Crush; Elizabeth Perkins as Coral

Home Release Date

• November 4, 2003
• Andrew Stanton

Distributor

• Walt Disney

Positive Elements   |   Spiritual Elements   |   Sexual & Romantic Content   |   Violent Content   |   Crude or Profane Language   |   Drug & Alcohol Content   |   Other Noteworthy Elements   | Conclusion

Movie Review

Marlin and Coral are young and in love. They’ve just moved to a new neighborhood, found the perfect house and are waiting expectantly for their first baby to be born. Make that babies . Hundreds of babies.

Life is good for the young couple. And then it’s not. A ferocious attacker kills Coral and devours her offspring, leaving behind the frightened Marlin and a single tiny egg. You knew Marlin wasn’t human, right? He’s a clownfish. But he’s not laughing. Clutching his one remaining progeny close to his gill, he sinks into the depths, mourning his wife and children.

The gloomy days and scary nights slowly pass. The lonely egg has hatched and the little baby clownfish—named Nemo—grows into a little boy clownfish who’s ready for fish school. But Marlin’s not very happy about turning Nemo loose in the big blue sea. “It’s dangerous out there,” he repeatedly tells the lad.

Time has a way of marching forward whether you want it to or not, though. And one day Marlin relents and takes Nemo to school. Life is good.

And then it’s not, again .

Unceremoniously snatched from school by a scuba diver, Nemo finds himself in a fish tank in a dentist’s office in Sydney, Australia. Devastated, Marlin searches the seven seas for his boy, facing all manner of terrors (sharks, jellyfish, raging currents, exploding mines) along the way.

Positive Elements

Marlin’s encounter with the barracuda that decimated his young family drove a permanent stake of fear through his heart. And he transfers his misgivings to his son. Instead of encouraging him to spread his wings—er, flip his fins—he shelters him to a smothering degree. This breeds anger and rebellion in Nemo and creates further unhappiness for Marlin. The film stresses the need to maintain balance in your family life and in the way you introduce your kids to the world. And an extended family of sea turtles provides insight into how steady, loving relationships can flow more smoothly.

“When my son was five,” director Andrew Stanton says, “I remember taking him to the park. I had been working long hours and felt guilty about not spending enough time with him. As we were walking, I was experiencing all this pent up emotion and thinking, ‘I-miss-you, I-miss-you,’ but I spent the whole walk going, ‘Don’t touch that. Don’t do that. You’re gonna fall in there.’ And there was this third-party voice in my head saying, ‘You’re completely wasting the entire moment that you’ve got with your son right now.’ I became obsessed with this premise that fear can deny a good father from being one. With that revelation, all the pieces fell into place and we ended up with our story.”

The other end of this thread proffers spiritual allusions, hinting at elements found in the parable of the prodigal son. Nemo doesn’t run away, but his rebellion certainly leads to him losing his relationship with his father, his security and his freedom, just as the son did in Jesus’ Luke 15 tale. Marlin repeatedly warns Nemo of the danger he’s putting himself in, but Nemo doesn’t listen. When things go sour and Nemo is captured, Marlin immediately begins searching for him, overcoming his fear by risking life and limb to bring him back. He refuses to give up on him. And he doesn’t sulk and get mad at Nemo for being foolish.

The lesson here for parents is that we shouldn’t stifle and needlessly frustrate our kids. The lesson for children is that when you think your parents are being overprotective, remember that they’re genuinely concerned for your safety and happiness and sometimes know better than you. Early in the movie, Nemo tells his dad he hates him. It concludes with Nemo going out of his way to make sure his dad knows he loves him.

Children will also be inspired by Nemo’s bravery and courage while he’s away from his dad. And we can all learn a thing or two from Dory, the plucky, daffy, memory-impaired blue fish, as she gamely “just keep[s] swimming.” It’s a beautiful thing to behold, her perseverance in the face of a mental challenge that would have driven most fish into silent subsistence. It’s she who challenges Marlin’s insistence that he’s fighting his fight for his son all alone, reminding him bluntly, I’m helping you.

Elsewhere, an aquarium fish apologizes to Nemo for selfishly putting him in danger. Dory elevates the idea of trusting your friends.

Spiritual Elements

Dory credits evolution for making her a fast swimmer.

Sexual & Romantic Content

Violent content.

Beginning with the attack on Marlin’s family, and ending with a scuffle with unsavory crabs, Finding Nemo contains quite a few intense underwater conflicts sure to go unnoticed by your average 14-year-old but guaranteed to traumatize their four-year-old siblings. Foremost among the violent sequences is one that features a famished shark. He bites, barrels into barriers and in every way possible tries to snarf down Marlin and Dory.

Throughout the film, fish slam into rocks, walls, other fish, etc. Jellyfish sting and almost kill Marlin and Dory. The pair is swallowed by a whale and a pelican. They’re viciously attacked by a deep-sea beast in a startling black-and-light sequence designed to give full effect to the creature’s mammoth teeth. Seagulls chase them.

When a pelican flies into the dentist’s office, his flailing wings make a serious mess of the place. The dentist knocks himself out when he hits his head on one of his instruments. Nemo finds himself in danger of being chopped up by the whirling gears in the fish tank’s water purification system. A human girl (roughly the evil equivalent of Toy Story ‘ s Sid) violently shakes Nemo while he’s in a bag of water. Nemo and other fish gasp and choke while out of the water. Dory bleeds a little bit when a diving mask hits her. (Her blood is what sends the shark on his rampage.) Underwater mines detonate, lighting up the ocean floor with their explosions.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear “crikey” and an interjection each of “gosh,” “golly” and “darn.” “What the …?” is left hanging three times. When the fish in the dentist’s tank purposefully foul their environment to make him clean it, one asks, “Does anybody realize we’re swimming in our own …?” (He’s interrupted by a starfish saying “Shhh.”)

Drug & Alcohol Content

A group of pelicans joke about one of their pals having had “more than he can handle” while it’s still early in the morning.

Other Noteworthy Elements

Dentistry isn’t done any favors in Finding Nemo . Close-ups of the doctor working on people’s mouths provide a couple of unsavory moments: One man screams as the drill sinks into this tooth. Another has his tooth yanked out when the dentist is startled.

Seagulls poop on Marlin and Dory. A young squid expels a cloud of ink every time she’s frightened. The first time it happens, she says, “You guys made me ink.” Flatulence is used as the punch line for a sly sight gag. Several fish belch loudly. When they’re trying to make the tank grimy, Nemo and the other fish are urged to “think dirty thoughts.”

Finding Nemo is an endearing, engaging adventure boasting what may well be the most lavish animation seen to date on the big screen. The trickle, ebb and swoosh of the ever-present water is marvelously rendered. The vivid hues of the Great Barrier Reef are breathtaking. And I could almost smell the stench gurgling out of the whale’s belly when Marlin and Dory got sucked inside. Sometimes the scenery is so awe-inspiring, in fact, that it upstages the story running through it.

What the scenery never obscures, though, are the colorful characters. They’re so endearing they’ll put your family off fish for weeks. One can hardly expect a 6-year-old to fall in love with Nemo and then scarf down a plateful of tuna the next day. “Fish are friends, not food” is a slogan repeated several times during the film by 12-stepping vegetarian sharks. Not that there’s anything wrong with personifying the food chain for fun; just be prepared for some kids to feel differently about it than you do!

One other thing precocious youngsters might feel compelled to do after seeing Nemo is flush their favorite goldfish. They won’t be trying to kill the creatures, they’ll be trying to free them. Onscreen, Nemo’s tankmates insist that “all drains lead to the sea,” and Nemo eventually escapes confinement by sliding into the sewer.

On a more serious note, if your youngest children personalize and internalize the peril constantly confronting Nemo and his family, it’ll be hard for them to keep their little lower lips from quivering. The screening I attended was wall-to-wall children. And when the sharks attacked and the tension mounted, some of the younger ones did indeed start wailing.

Move up an age bracket or two, and it’ll be the emotional inspiration of Nemo and his dad’s desperate battle to be reunited, and Dory’s cheerful determination to keep on keepin’ on that’ll make the biggest splash.

A 3-D UPDATE: As mentioned, Finding Nemo is a beautifully animated movie that holds up perfectly nearly a decade later. Its colors are spectacular. The movement of the water mesmerizing. Adding 3-D to that mix (in a 2012 theatrical re-release) certainly calls attention to the layer upon layer of scenery, but this is such an artistic movie to begin with that the extra frill actually does little to boost the overall effect. For some people, in fact, putting on those gray 3-D glasses will take away some of the richness.

Steven Isaac

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Finding Nemo (2003)

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Finding Nemo

Few things in life are better than making your kids happy. My four year old daughter, Allie, and I share a common love of movies. So when I asked Allie if she wanted to go see “ Finding Nemo ,” I knew the answer would be a resounding “YES”. With its phenomenal animation and heart-warming story, Finding Nemo is a resounding hit with this daddy-daughter combo.

First things first, 2-D animation needs to be regulated to the small screen. Pixar has redefined animation in the past with Toy Story , Toy Story 2 , A Bug’s Life , and Monsters, Inc. Now, Pixar is just showing off with Nemo. How can one even argue that traditional animation is superior? If you still think that traditional animation is better, you can have my black and white television or my cassette player. Nemo’s underwater masterpieces are the greatest achievement in animation, period. Its CGI animation is so wonderful, it makes Toy Story look antiquated by comparison. After the jellyfish sequence, please try to disagree with me.

While superior in the animation competition, Nemo doesn’t match the heart and warmth of Toy Story 1 or 2 . It comes close though. Finding Nemo is the story of a clown fish, Marlin (Brooks) and the search for his son, Nemo (Gould). The movie begins ominously as Marlin, his wife Coral, and a few hundred eggs are just becoming acquainted with their new home, an anemone. A few minutes later, all Marlin has left in the world is one fish egg that survived an attack by a barracuda. From that point on, Marlin, becomes an over protective dad who fears that something might happen to his boy, Nemo.

By the way, Brooks must enjoy playing slightly neurotic characters. If you could strap a fanny pack on Marlin, he would be very similar to Brooks’s character in The In-Laws. Anyways, back to the good Brooks movie.

On Nemo’s first day of school, he is captured by a scuba diver and taken aboard a boat while Marlin frantically tries to save his son. As Marlin searches, he swims into, literally, the highlight of the movie, Dory (Degeneres). Dory, along with her short term memory problems, befriends Marlin and helps him on his search. On their way to Sydney (where Nemo was taken), they encounter three reformed sharks, jellyfish, a whale and a cowabunga speaking sea turtle, Crush. No word yet on whether Crush has any ninja skills or if he likes pizza.

During Marlin’s journey we see one of animation’s most visibly stunning scenes ever; the jellyfish. As Marlin and Dory approach the trench, Marlin decides to swim over it against the advice Dory shared and quickly forgot. As they swim over the trench, thousands of jellyfish descend into the shot. What else can I say about the CGI? I was blown away. I found myself staring at what appeared to be a Discovery Channel special on underwater life. (To think I was playing Frogger just 20 years ago and computers can now do this!)

Meanwhile, Nemo finds a new home in a dentist office’s aquarium. In the aquarium, Nemo meets several underwater creatures in the aquarium but the only standout character is Gil (Dafoe), a fish who has tasted the freedom of the ocean and yearns to return. Dafoe has the ability to command a scene even when he is animated! While Marlin is coming to Sydney to save Nemo, Gil and Nemo attempt to escape back to the ocean.

Some will complain that Finding Nemo uses the same formula as its Pixar predecessors. So what?? Having a formula alone doesn’t guarantee a good movie. George Lucas has a formula too, you know. Nemo lacks the charm of Toy Story 1 and 2 , but it is on par with Monster’s Inc. The movie has an underlying sadness to it for the first half of the movie as Marlin struggles with his despair. Yet, it picks up in the middle and makes an exhilarating dash for the finish line. This film is not a full length laugh track like the previous Pixar releases. Nemo has its share of humor but it is almost evenly dispersed with elements of drama.

Pixar makes moves that can appeal to adults and still treat the kids. As we left the theatre, Allie said it was awesome and hugged me for taking her. Who can argue with that?

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Finding Nemo Reviews

• 90   Metascore
• 1 hr 40 mins
• Family, Comedy, Kids
• Watchlist Where to Watch

Best Animated Feature about a clown fish who teams up with a ditzy blue tang to search for his missing son. This witty, sweet and beautifully animated undersea adventure was produced by Disney and Pixar Studios, which also released "Monsters, Inc."

Pixar heads under the sea and finds subject matter that couldn't be more perfectly suited to its vivid style of computer animation. As befits the company that produced the TOY STORY films and MONSTERS, INC. (2001), the visuals are utterly convincing and the story revolves around a diverse — and very funny — group of characters who inhabit a fantastic version of the ocean. After losing his wife and most of their unhatched eggs to a vicious barracuda, bright-orange clownfish Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) becomes overly cautious — he won't even leave his sea anemone home alone — and extremely protective of his sole surviving offspring, Nemo (Alexander Gould). Marlin's overbearing paranoia eventually becomes too much for the adventurous youngster — distinguished, not handicapped, by an undersized fin — who takes up a classmate's dare to leave the safety of the reef. Nemo ventures into the open sea and is promptly snatched up by a scuba diver. Marlin witnesses the abduction of his only son and speeds off in search of the divers and their boat, his own neurotic self-preservation issues forgotten. The determined Marlin joins forces with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a flighty but optimistic Blue Tang who suffers from short-term memory loss, and the odd couple search tirelessly for little Nemo, who's landed inside a dentist's well-stocked fish tank. Nemo's tankmates, an eclectic cross section of captive sea life, befriend the new fish and plot to help him escape before he falls into the clutches of the dentist's niece, who's reputation for causing fish to go belly up strikes fear into the finny community. Marlin and Dory, meanwhile, must elude three razor-toothed sharks (they're part of a self-help group that preaches "fish are friends, not food," but suffer occasional relapses), a jungle-like mass of jellyfish and a hungry flock of seagulls who emphatically chatter the only word they know: "mine." The duo get some unexpected help from nosy pelican Nigel (Geoffrey Rush), a shape-shifting school of fish (group-voiced by John Ratzenberger), and some surfer-dude sea turtles, led by Crush (voiced to laid-back perfection by the film's director, Andrew Stanton). The film's cautionary lesson is clear, but it's imbedded in a never-ending stream of action and humor. Many of the quirky one-liners will fly over the heads of small fry — how many kids will appreciate the irony of an H2O-intolerant seahorse or the starfish who was bought on eBay? — but will find an appreciative audience among adults. The colorful and kid-friendly characters are a delight, though very young children might be alarmed by some of the larger creatures, who tend to come into view teeth first.

Finding Nemo (United States, 2003)

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As we enter the summer of 2003, Walt Disney Pictures reigns supreme as the distributor of the best animated fare. Yet, less than a dozen years after Beauty and the Beast became the first (and thus far only) animated film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, Disney's in-house animated division has degraded to the point where it's a pale shadow of its former self. However, by acquiring the exclusive North American distribution rights for the films of Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki and by entering into a partnership with Pixar Films, Disney has managed to maintain its position atop the mountain, despite furious challenges from Dreamworks and Fox. Without either of those deals – especially the Pixar one – Disney's once unassailable position might have been lost.

The movies of the Pixar canon – Toy Story and its sequel, A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc. – have all been critical and box office successes. There is no reason to believe things will change with Finding Nemo . Visually, the film is just as jaw-dropping as its predecessors (if not more so). From a narrative standpoint, it's not quite as ambitious as some of the earlier movies, but it has enough juice to keep things moving for 100 minutes. And, as always, the voice casting is perfect. Throw in a moral, and some nice touches of technical accuracy (that fish keepers will appreciate), and the movie represents the best family film to-date of 2003.

Finding Nemo takes viewers on an offbeat road trip, as an overprotective clownfish father, Marlin (Albert Brooks), teams up with a forgetful hippo tang, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), to find Marlin's lost son, Nemo (Alexander Gould). While testing his boundaries and defying his father, Nemo wanders too close to a human scuba diving expedition and becomes an aquarium specimen. Now, he spends his days as a captive in a salt water tank with several other inhabitants, including a royal gramma, a starfish, a puffer, and a butterfly fish, Gill (Willem Dafoe), whose lone goal is escape. Meanwhile, Marlin and Dory brave the dangers of the open seas – including a trio of would-be vegetarian sharks, a forest of jellyfish, and the belly of a whale – on their way to Australia, where Nemo is being held captive.

Pixar films always contain thematic content, and this one is no different. It touches on the issues of how a parent's natural protective instincts can drive away a child, and how children, no matter how desperately they crave independence, still need their families. None of this is presented in a heavy-handed manner. Instead, it's offered in such a way that even the younger members of the audience will understand what the film is saying without feeling like they're being subjected to a sermon. There's also a message about the importance of diversity and harmony, as a wide variety of animal species band together to help Marlin as he searches for his lost son.

Finding Nemo is every bit as humorous as Monsters Inc. , although some of the comedy is more low-key. Having experienced comedians like Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres as the lead voices helps immeasurably. Brooks, as is his forte, makes Marlin sound constantly beleaguered. DeGeneres is a hoot as the tang with no short term memory. Willem Defoe brings an initial whiff of the sinister to his part as Nemo's older, larger tankmate. Other voices include Alison Janney, Austin Pendleton, and Geoffrey Rush as a helpful pelican.

Director Andrew Stanton has opted to animate some of the fish realistically, while using artistic license with others. The clownfish and hippo tang, for example, look almost identical to their real-life counterparts. The sea horses and turtles, however, have some of their rough edges smoothed out, making them cuter and more child-friendly. Overall, Finding Nemo is a treasure trove of visual splendor. From the opening scenes on the coral reef with Marlin taking up residence in his new anemone to the cheesy insides of Nemo's aquarium cage, the film is colorful and amazingly detailed. Every time I view a Pixar film, I am stunned at how much there is to see. Finding Nemo proves that the computer animators can do as much under water as above it.

For longtime fans of Disney animated movies, there are a few nods to past efforts. The death of Nemo's mother, which occurs early in the film (and is offscreen - no blood or overt violence to speak of) recalls a similar event from the classic Bambi . Likewise, a scene in which Marlin and Dory spend some time in the stomach of a whale will remind viewers of Pinocchio . And there's a throw in reference to Toy Story - in this case, a quick shot of a Buzz Lightyear doll.

I wonder if Finding Nemo will fuel an upsurge in interest in salt water aquariums. To be sure, clowns are interesting fish to keep, but only for those with a little patience. Children expecting their pets to exhibit the characteristics of Marlin and Nemo will likely be disappointed. Nevertheless, ecological considerations aside, there's nothing to gripe about where Finding Nemo is concerned. Pixar has done it again, and, in the process, managed to salvage Disney's reputation – at least for a little longer.

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Finding Nemo

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

Leave it to a g-rated cartoon to give the live-action epics a lesson in action, fun and bracing originality. Pixar, the animation house behind Monsters, Inc. , A Bug’s Life and the two Toy Story classics, lands another winner for Disney. Kid stuff? You tell me. Little Nemo no sooner loses his mom than he’s kidnapped, leaving his dad to find him before Sonny Boy is sold off or flushed.

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If the characters weren’t fish, and deliciously comic, the damn thing would be traumatic. The voice work is exceptional, from Albert Brooks as Marlin, the neurotic clown-fish dad, to Barry Humphries (a.k.a. Dame Edna) as Bruce the shark and Geoffrey Rush as a nosy pelican. Ellen DeGeneres is howlingly funny as Dory, a scatterbrained blue tang who travels with Marlin through the terrors of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef until they find Nemo living in a fish tank owned by a dentist in Sydney. The doc’s young niece, Darla, has braces and a nasty streak for fish. She enters to the theme from Psycho .

The view from the fish tank to the dentist’s chair and the window overlooking the harbor is just one of the visual wonders of a film that rewrites the book on animating water, which experts say is the hardest element to achieve. And I haven’t mentioned the other sea predators, such as the pink jellyfish and a razor-toothed anglerfish. Co-writer and director Andrew Stanton, who also provides the surfer-dude voice of a helpful turtle named Crush, makes miracles look easy. The result is a thing of beauty, hugely entertaining and way cool.

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FINDING NEMO

(BBB, C, L, V) Very strong moral worldview with particularly strong father elements and redemptive elements; the little fish pronounce the word "boat" as "butt" several times; barracuda kills mother and fish eggs off screen, frightening sea creatures such as sharks and barracuda, exciting escapes, frightening humans, and animated action violence; no sex; no nudity; and, nothing else objectionable.

More Detail:

FINDING NEMO is a whale of a tale about a small clownfish and his son that catches the audience immediately – hook, line and sinker. It is a great fish story that captures your heart, your mind and your soul and will hold viewers breathless until the fantastic “fin-ish.”

The movie starts with Coral and Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks, lovingly preparing their new anemone home among the beautiful coral reef off of Australia. Coral asks why they need such a big home, which is obvious when they look lovingly at the 400 eggs about to hatch. Marlin wants to name half of them Marlin, and the other half Coral. Coral wants to name them Nemo, so Marlin agrees to name one of them Nemo. Suddenly, a barracuda appears. Marlin and Coral try to fight it off, but when Marlin wakes up, it is only Marlin and one little egg left, whom he names Nemo (Alexander Gould).

Marlin says that he will never, ever let anything happen to Little Nemo, who, it turns out, has a stunted fin. Sometime later, when Marlin takes Nemo to school, Nemo disobeys and swims off to investigate a boat, which the other little fish mis-pronounce as “butt.” A diver appears and captures Nemo. Suddenly, Marlin has lost his son.

Nemo gets taken to a fish tank in the diver’s office. The diver is Doctor Sherman in Sydney, Australia. Nemo finds out from the other fish that Dr. Sherman is going to give him as a present to his hyperactive niece, who looks awfully scary with her braces.

Meanwhile, Marlin determines to overcome his fear of the deep and find Nemo. He is helped by a fish with a short term memory loss, named Dory, voiced by comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. Together they outwit sharks, pass through minefields, get caught in the great Australian current, get swallowed by a whale, and finally end up in Sydney – close to Marlin’s beloved Nemo. While Nemo tries valiantly to escape, Marlin tries to rescue him.

Although one can never predict what an audience will do, FINDING NEMO is a great movie and should attract a very broad audience. Pixar has hit one home run after another with TOY STORY 1 and 2, A BUG’S LIFE, and MONSTERS, INC. With FINDING NEMO, they have hit the ball out of the park!

Every second of FINDING NEMO is beautifully animated, spectacularly directed and written with such heart and precision that the script should become required reading for any hopeful scriptwriters. The story and characters are also filled with lots of family-friendly humor.

Best of all, the movie is full of great moral values. It is so pro-father and his children that it could cause the most hard-hearted father to lighten up and cry. There are no references to God, but there are redemptive allegories and a lot of “thank goodnesses.” There is a slight off-color pronunciation of the word “boat” by the little fish, but it is very slight. Also, there is a mild, politically correct reference with the shark saying, ‘Fish are friends, not food” at a “Fish Eaters Anonymous” meeting, but it is such a funny takeoff of Alcoholics Anonymous, that it’s hard to believe it would offend anyone.

FINDING NEMO is the best Pixar movie ever. . . an instant classic. See it on the big screen! It’s that good.

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Finding Nemo

• After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.
• A clown fish named Marlin lives in the Great Barrier Reef and loses his son, Nemo, after he ventures into the open sea, despite his father's constant warnings about many of the ocean's dangers. Nemo is abducted by a boat and netted up and sent to a dentist's office in Sydney. While Marlin ventures off to try to retrieve Nemo, Marlin meets a fish named Dory, a blue tang suffering from short-term memory loss. The companions travel a great distance, encountering various dangerous sea creatures such as sharks, anglerfish and jellyfish, in order to rescue Nemo from the dentist's office, which is situated by Sydney Harbour. While the two are searching the ocean far and wide, Nemo and the other sea animals in the dentist's fish tank plot a way to return to the sea to live their lives free again. — David Morris
• Marlin, a clown fish, is overly cautious with his son, Nemo, who has a foreshortened fin. When Nemo swims too close to the surface to prove himself, he is caught by a diver, and horrified Marlin must set out to find him. A blue reef fish named Dory -- who has a really short memory -- joins Marlin and complicates the encounters with sharks, jellyfish, and a host of ocean dangers. Meanwhile, Nemo plots his escape from a dentist's fish tank. — Jwelch5742
• A young clownfish named Nemo is captured by underwater sea divers and taken to a dentist office located in a wonderful city called Sydney Harbour! Marlon, Nemos father is out on a journey to retrieve Nemo and bring him back home. Marlon meets a dim-witted and memory losing fish named Dory who tries to help Marlon along the way. Nemo and the other fish in the fish tank plan an escape attempting to finally get back into the fresh open water. — Steve Shedloski
• After a clownfish is taken by a dentist, his father and a friend travel across the ocean to locate him. Along the way, they meet new friends who try to help them as much as they can. They also learn a few new things about along the way as well. — RECB3
• Two clownfish, Marlin ( Albert Brooks ) and his wife Coral ( Elizabeth Perkins ), admire the view from their new home within a sea anemone overlooking the drop off of a coral reef. Below them, their clutch of eggs lies hidden in a small hole. Excited to be first-time parents, they discuss names, Coral expressing her fondness for "Nemo." They flirt playfully with each other until Coral's attention is distracted by the appearance of a barracuda. Ignoring Marlin's order to hide, Coral moves to protect her eggs and the barracuda lunges. Marlin rushes in but the barracuda knocks him out with a flick of its tail, sending him back into the anemone. When he comes to that night, he discovers that Coral and the eggs are gone but manages to find a single surviving egg with a scratch on its right side. Vowing to protect it, he names the codling Nemo. Marlin raises Nemo ( Alexander Gould ) in a secure anemone further into the reef. On the morning of his first day of school, an excited Nemo wakes his father, flapping his tiny right fin wildly. Marlin helps him prepare for the day, showing to be overprotective and doubtful of Nemo's ability to take care of himself. Marlin escorts Nemo to school -- along the way, Nemo asks Marlin how old sea turtles live to be; Marlin doesn't have an answer. Mr. Ray ( Bob Peterson ), the local teacher, takes the children on a field trip. When Marlin learns that they are going to the drop off, he swims after them in a panic. Upon arrival Nemo follows three of his peers ( Jordan Ranft , Erica Beck , and Erik Per Sullivan ), bored with Mr. Ray's lesson, to the very edge of the reef where they see a boat (misnaming it a "butt") anchored in the distance. They dare each other to swim out into open water to touch the "butt" as Marlin arrives and yells at Nemo for endangering himself. While talking to Mr. Ray, Marlin fails to notice Nemo swimming fiercely out to sea, stopping beneath the boat. In an act of defiance, Nemo touches the boat with his fin and starts to swim back before a diver suddenly appears behind him and traps him in a small bag. Marlin is prevented from swimming out after his son by another diver who takes a picture, disorienting him. Regaining his sight, Marlin swims after the divers as the boat departs the reef. The diver places Nemo in a cooler full of water and accidentally drops his mask into the water. Marlin swims after the boat but eventually loses the trail. He swims to the sea floor, begging passing schools of fish for help until he bumps into a regal tang named Dory ( Ellen DeGeneres ). She claims to have seen the boat and leads a thankful Marlin in the direction it went but, as they swim along, she becomes lax and even tries to evade Marlin when she notices him behind her. When she confronts him, he questions her and she apologizes, telling Marlin she has short-term memory loss. Dumbfounded, Marlin turns to leave but is stopped by a great white shark who introduces himself as Bruce ( Barry Humphries ). He invites Marlin and Dory to a get-together he's having and, despite Marlin's objections, escorts them to his lair in a sunken submarine surrounded by live sea mines. They meet Bruce's fellow sharks, hammerhead Anchor ( Eric Bana ) and mako Chum ( Bruce Spence ), before beginning an assembly where they pledge to abstain from eating fish. The two are fairly terrified by the sharks until Marlin spots the diver's mask stuck on a shard of metal. Inspecting it, he discovers markings on the strap that might provide a clue to Nemo's whereabouts. Dory picks up the mask to see if the sharks can read but Marlin tries to take it back, engaging in a tug-of-war before the mask snaps into Dory's face, causing a nosebleed. The smell of the blood excites Bruce's inner carnivore and, though Anchor and Chum try to stage an intervention by holding him back, he mindlessly chases Marlin and Dory through the submarine, taking hold of the mask in his mouth in the process. During this time, Dory reveals that she can read human words before she and Marlin take refuge in a torpedo well. Dory releases the torpedo which wedges in Bruce's mouth, giving Marlin enough time to grab the mask and flee back into the well. Bruce throws the torpedo away and Anchor and Chum are able to regain his attention in time before the torpedo sets off one of the mines, causing a violent chain reaction of explosions of the entire minefield. Meanwhile, Nemo is placed into a new container revealed to be a fish tank in a dentist's office. There he meets a few of the original inhabitants including Bloat the puffer fish ( Brad Garrett ), Bubbles the yellow tang ( Stephen Root ), Peach the ochre sea star ( Allison Janney ), Gurgle the royal gramma ( Austin Pendleton ), Jacques the French-accented Pacific cleaner shrimp ( Joe Ranft ), and Deb ( Vicki Lewis ), a black-tailed humbug who believes her reflection to be her twin sister, Flo. A pelican named Nigel ( Geoffrey Rush ) perches himself on the window near the tank and greets Nemo after briefly discussing dental procedures with the other fish. He's shooed away by the dentist ( Bill Hunter ) who shows Nemo a picture of his niece, Darla, whom Nemo has been promised to. The other fish cringe and call her a fish killer ('she wouldn't stop shaking the bag'). Afraid and wanting to go home, Nemo backs away and gets stuck in the suction tube of the filter. The other fish go to help him but Gill ( Willem Dafoe ), a wise moorish idol with large scars on his right side, tells Nemo that he must escape himself, giving Nemo instructions and encouragement. Nemo manages to free himself and Peach relates his strength to his ocean origins, like Gill. Marlin and Dory awake in the aftermath of the explosions to find the submarine hanging precariously over the edge of a deep ravine. Their movements cause the submarine to suddenly tip forward and collide with the rock wall of the far side. During the chaos and blinded temporarily by the dust, Dory accidentally drops the mask into the darkness below. Marlin gives it up for lost but Dory cheerfully takes him into the depths, telling him to just keep swimming. After a moment, they come upon a mysterious and alluring light which, unfortunately, belongs to a hungry anglerfish. During the chase, Marlin finds the mask and distracts the anglerfish long enough so that Dory can read the address written on it. Marlin then leads the anglerfish towards the mask and traps it using the masks strap as a tether. Dory recites the address 'P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney' and is ecstatic to find that she can remember it. Back in the fish tank, Nemo is woken by Jacques who takes him to the tank's toy volcano (Mt. Wannahockaloogie) where the other fish perform an initiation to include Nemo in their club, giving him the nickname "Shark Bait." Gill then proposes a plan to escape the fish tank by jamming the gear in the filter which would cause the tank to become so dirty that the dentist will have to manually clean it and place the fish in baggies on the counter, allowing them to roll out the window to the street, cross it, and land in the harbor. Though the other fish are skeptical, Gill asserts that Nemo is small enough to fit into the filter and make it back through the tubing. Nemo agrees to do it. Marlin and Dory continue their journey and request directions to Sydney from a school of moonfish ( John Ratzenberger ). They tell Marlin and Dory to take the East Australian Current (EAC), after an impressive display of their synchronized impressions. When they come to a rocky trench. Marlin resolves to swim over it to avoid the ominous enclosure. With the EAC in view, Dory becomes distracted and is stung by a tiny jellyfish. As Marlin tends to her, they are suddenly surrounded by a school of larger jellyfish. Finding that the tops don't sting, Marlin and Dory bounce on them as they race out of the school. Marlin makes it out first and, when Dory doesn't appear, goes back in to retrieve her. He finds her unconscious and scarred from the stinging and struggles to carry her out as he is repeatedly stung. He makes it but, stung and exhausted, blacks out as a large shadow descends on him. Nemo waits in the fish tank with Gill who is keeping an eye on the dentist for an opportune moment to jam the filter. Noticing Nemo looking at his scars, Gill explains that during his first escape attempt he landed on dental tools, though he was aiming for the toilet. He says that all drains lead to the ocean and that fish weren't meant to live in a tank. Peach cries out that the dentist is going for a bathroom break which cues Nemo to leap into the filter. Gill tosses him a pebble and gives instructions as Nemo wedges the fan, stopping the flow of water. However, as he is moving through the pipe back into the tank, the pebble unhinges and the fan turns on again, sucking Nemo backwards. The other fish hurry and send Nemo a toy kelp strand to grab onto and pull him out. Shaken, Peach asks Gill not to send Nemo in the filter again. Sullen and realizing his plan put Nemo in grave danger, Gill says they're done. Meanwhile, Marlin wakes up to find himself resting on the shell of a laid-back sea turtle with a surfer's attitude who introduces himself as Crush ( Andrew Stanton ). Incredulous, he discovers that he's also riding along the EAC with dozens of other sea turtles and large fish. Marlin is reunited with Dory who sports a scar on her side from the jellyfish stings and meets Crush's son, Squirt ( Nicholas Bird ). Marlin also meets Crush's spirited son, Squirt. While playing with the other sea turtles, Squirt is accidentally propelled outside the current. Marlin is panicky at first however Crush convinces him that Squirt can handle himself. Squirt is able to swim his way back into the current & gleefully joins his father. Marlin sees that even the youngest among the turtles can learn to survive in the ocean. Having been told some details of their journey and the encounter with the jellyfish, Squirt and the other hatchlings ask Marlin to tell them the rest of the story. Hesitant at first, Marlin relents and begins with when Nemo was abducted. His story is not ignored; it's passed on from turtle to fish to dolphin to bird and onward until it reaches Nigel the pelican. Hearing Nemo's name, he flies off to the dentist's office. There, Nemo tries to apologize to Gill for the botched escape attempt but Gill says that his eagerness to escape almost cost Nemo his life and that nothing should be worth that. Nigel arrives, crashing into the closed window, but recovers and is able to tell Nemo the story of Marlin's journey as it was told to him. When Nigel suggests that Nemo's father took on three sharks and a school of jellyfish, Nemo is newly impressed with his father. Invigorated, Nemo takes it upon himself to try the filter attempt again and, this time, succeeds. Marlin and Dory continue along the EAC until they come to their exit point where Crush and Squirt show them where to depart the main line. After a confusing instructional speech on "proper exiting technique" Squirt pushes them into the exit flume and back into open water. Thanking Crush, Marlin asks the turtle how old he is; Crush answers that's he's "150 years old & still young!" They are instructed to continue through a large purplish plume of plankton to Sydney. However, they soon become lost and Dory resolves to ask a distant fish for directions. Though Marlin is afraid at first, he decides to trust Dory and she calls out to the distant figure. When she sees its a minke whale, she starts speaking 'whale', asking for help. Marlin grows frustrated with her again just as a whale approaches from behind and pulls them into its mouth. Back in the fish tank, a couple of days' worth without a filter has rendered every surface covered in green algae. When the dentist sees this, he opts to clean the tank the following morning before Darla's arrival. Nemo looks out the window to the harbor outside, wondering if his father is there already, waiting for him. In the whale's mouth, Marlin and Dory remain safe with enough water to swim in. Though Dory is complacent, Marlin futilely attempts to break out by ramming into the whale's baleen. He yells at Dory for claiming to have spoken whale, calling her insane and lamenting over the fact that he'll never see his son again. Dory tries to console him as the whale emits a call and the water in the mouth begins to drain. The whale then lifts his tongue to push Marlin and Dory to the back of its throat but Marlin refuses to let go until Dory assures him that, though she doesn't know what will happen, everything will be all right. Marlin closes his eyes and releases his grip on the whale's tongue. They fall to the back of the throat where they are then shot out of the whale's blowhole, landing in Sydney Harbor. Overjoyed to have finally arrived, Marlin sends his thanks to the whale and encourages Dory to help him find the boat that took Nemo. The following morning, Peach wakes up with the horrified realization that the tank is suddenly clean. The fish find that the dentist had installed a new high-tech filter the night before and, though they are impressed with the fluid functionality of the device, they worry about what they will do when Darla arrives. The dentist suddenly pulls Nemo up in a fish net but Gill and the other fish swim into it and instruct Nemo to swim down, pulling the net into the tank and away from the dentist's grip. Despite their efforts, Nemo is quickly scooped up in a plastic bag and set on the counter. The other fish tell Nemo to roll out the window but, before he can get far, the dentist places the baggie in a tin to keep him from moving. Gill tries to assure Nemo that he'll be OK but, at that moment, Darla ( LuLu Ebeling ) crashes into the office. Marlin and Dory continue to search the harbor, both tired from looking at boats all night, when they are scooped up in the beak of a pelican. The pelican lands on a nearby dock and swallows them but Marlin refuses to have come this far just to be breakfast. He lodges himself and Dory in the pelican's neck, causing it to start choking. Nearby, Nigel wakes from a nap to notice the pelican, Jerry, choking and flies down to assist. He hits Jerry in the back, expelling Marlin and Dory from his mouth onto the dock where Marlin shouts out that he needs to find Nemo. Recognizing the name, Nigel turns to Jerry excitedly and tells him this is the fish that they've been hearing about. When he turns back to Marlin, he sees that he and Dory have flopped their way towards the end of the dock. Nigel chases after them but they are all forced to freeze when they notice that they are surrounded by hungry seagulls. When Nigel tells Marlin that he knows his son, Nemo, Marlin flips in excitement, causing the seagulls to rush forward, but Nigel manages to take Dory and Marlin in his mouth and fly off. Darla torments the fish in the tank before going in to see her uncle. As he picks up the baggie with Nemo inside, he notices Nemo floating upside down. The other fish quickly realize that Nemo is feigning death so that he can be flushed down the toilet but the dentist moves towards the trash can just as Nigel arrives in the window. Marlin forces Nigel into the office and the dentist drops the baggie. Marlin sees Nemo floating and believes him to be dead as the dentist grabs Nigel and forces him out the window again, Marlin calling out to Nemo. Hearing his name, Nemo pops upright but Darla takes the bag and starts shaking it, trying to 'wake up the fishy'. Gill lodges himself into the top of Mt. Wannahockaloogie and the force of the bubbles propels him out of the tank. He lands on Darla's head and she drops Nemo's bag on a table full of tools, breaking the plastic. Gill falls off Darla's head next to Nemo and flips him into the sink and down the drain using a magnifying scope as a catapult. The dentist quickly puts Gill back into the tank where he can breathe. Gill tells the others not to worry about Nemo; that all drains lead to the ocean. Darla is upset and receives a squirt of water in her face from the sink. Nemo travels down the piping until he reaches a water treatment filtration, a series of piping that travels on the sea floor out of the harbor. Nigel flies out of the harbor with Marlin and Dory and releases them into the water, offering his condolences. Distraught, Marlin thanks Dory for helping him and begins to swim away. She asks him to stay with her and that her memory is better when he's around, that she doesn't want to forget. Marlin refuses and swims away, leaving her alone. Nemo emerges from the piping and calls out for his father. He finds Dory swimming confusedly under a buoy, saying that she's lost someone but can't remember. Nemo offers to search with her and Dory happily complies, though she doesn't recognize him. As they swim together, Dory comes upon a piece of piping and reads 'Sydney' on it. Suddenly, all of her memories come flooding back to her and she rushes at Nemo, hugging him fiercely, before leading him in the direction Marlin went. They find out that Marlin headed towards fishing grounds and reunite with him amongst a large school of fish. The school of fish then cries out in panic as a large net from a fishing boat above envelopes them. Dory is caught up in the netting and Nemo says that he must swim in and instruct the fish to swim down. Though Marlin fears for Nemo's safety, he lets go and allows Nemo to do what he can. Marlin instructs the panicked fish from outside the net and they all soon start swimming in synch downwards, pulling the net with them until it finally snaps away from the boat, freeing all the fish. Marlin and Dory find Nemo under the heavy netting -- Marlin is stricken with grief, believing Nemo is dead. Nemo regains consciousness & Marlin gently tells him that he found out that sea turtles live to be 150 years old. Marlin and Nemo come to an understanding and all three go back to their home in the reef. Marlin's demeanor has changed for the better and he is more upbeat and confident in his son's abilities. He takes him to school where Dory is dropped off by Bruce, Anchor, and Chum who have included Dory in their vegetarian program. Nemo hugs his father before heading off on another field trip with Mr. Ray. Marlin watches them leave, knowing that his son will be all right. Back at the dental office in Sydney, the dentist curses the high-tech filter which has suddenly stopped working. He complains about having to put all the fish in baggies but notices that they have mysteriously disappeared from the counter. Horns honk out the open window as Peach is the last to cross the street and land herself in the harbor with the other fish. As they float in their baggies, unable to escape confinement, Bloat wonders 'Now what?' In a post-credits stinger, the tiny fish that was Chum's "friend" at the support group is stalked by the anglerfish. As the anglerfish moves in to swallow him, the tiny fish suddenly opens his mouth to a surprisingly enormous size and swallows the angler.

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