Bernie the Dolphin

In so many ways, this movie is a parent's dream; its just too bad the script and filmmaking aren't more engaging. Bernie the Dolphin features aspirational, smart kids in a loving family that operates with a teamwork philosophy. The children use their unique passions and talents to uncover a suspicious real estate scheme, and their judgment only goes awry when they interpret parental guideposts the wrong way. The dialogue is simple and straightforward, which can be helpful in a film made for children. Other than one word so minor it seems that perhaps the filmmakers didn't realize it could be considered a no-no ("crap"), there's really no iffy content -- and young viewers will probably learn a couple of things and may even take a deeper interest in protecting oceans and marine life. 

But unfortunately the story isn't particularly creative, and the movie lacks the pizzazz of modern-day filmmaking. In fact, the scenes most likely to capture children's attention are when Kevin and Holly break the law. Although the title suggests that the movie is about the dolphin, it's really about the family; too much time is spent on the Ryan parents dealing with their issues rather than showing viewers cool dolphin tricks or the kids interacting with Bernie (who's a real charmer; he'll steal hearts). Despite every good intention this movie has, there's a good chance parents will hear those two dreaded words: "I'm bored."