Eye of the Dolphin (PG-13, 2007)

EYE OF THE DOLPHIN explores what happens when a troubled 14-year-old girl finds out that her father, whom she long suspected was dead, is actually alive; and what happens when that father learns he has a child. A year after she saw her mom die, Los Angeles teen Alyssa (Carly Schroeder) skips classes and smokes pot in the school bathroom, no longer caring about anything, including herself. Hoping to give the girl a fresh start, Alyssa's grandmother (Katharine Ross) ships her off to live with Hawk (Adrian Dunbar), her father, who studies dolphins in the Bahamas. But the road is rutted with doubt and suspicion; Alyssa doesn't know how to trust anyone anymore, and Hawk has to learn to be a father. He's also fighting a losing battle to keep his dolphin research going. Luckily, that struggle is one Alyssa's willing to join, as she soon discovers she has a special bond with dolphins.

This heartfelt family drama has good intentions but ultimately falls short. The gorgeous Bahamian landscape is well-served by director of photography Guy Livnet. It's rendered in saturated colors, the perfect paradise to soothe Alyssa's unsettled soul. But the action takes a while to pick up, and though the slow pacing might be intentional -- perhaps it's a nod to languid Bahamian life? -- it lacks ample tension for a story with built-in conflicts. It's not until father and daughter finally face off that Eye of the Dolphin finally gets in the swim of things (barely).

On the plus side, Schroeder is inspired as Alyssa, a lost child looking for mooring (she won a Best Child Actor award at the International Family Film Festival). But in the end, the film ultimately stumbles from slack pacing, clichéd setups, and lackluster dialogue.

Studio: Monterey Media
Director: Michael Sellers
Cast: Adrian Dunbar, Carly Schroeder, Katharine Ross
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: August 24, 2007
DVD release: January 8, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: some substance abuse involving a young teen.