Flipper

Starring: Elijah Wood, Paul Hogan, Jonathan Banks, Jessica Wesson, Chelsea Field, Jason Fuchs, Isaac Hayes
Directed by: Alan Shapiro
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure
1996

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A boy (Elijah Wood) reluctantly goes to live with his uncle (Paul Hogan) for the summer. There, he befriends an intelligent dolphin and must help him when a local fisherman (Jonathan Banks) has it in for him.

Review:
Tim: I was looking forward to watching Flipper with my kids. It's not a movie I specifically recall watching as a kid, so we'd be experiencing it for the first time together. My kids (7 and 4) really enjoyed the movie. There's definitely some strengths throughout the film, but I couldn't help but feel that director Alan Shapiro never fully leveraged the different elements together. In short, this movie could have been better.

For kids, though, the movie is great. My kids were definitely a bit too young for the film- they weren't the primary demographic. My son had a great time with it and my daughter mostly liked it, but was uncomfortable during the more intense parts (we covered her eyes when she wanted). It's certainly a film designed more for pre-teens. It does feature a super smart dolphin and a few kids having adventures, so kids will almost automatically relate to and connect with the story. As for adults, I found the story to be a bit simple, but still worthwhile. It's a bit of a redemption story for Elijah Wood's character- he is sent off to his uncle for the summer, where he finds a friend, connects with a dolphin, finds himself, and grows up a little. Yes, it's all designed for kids, but there is real value in his character's arc.

Wood is really good in the lead role. He was a cute kid, so there's no surprise he was able to land starring roles like this. It helps that he's a talented actor, too. I thought he did well in the role- his performance was believable and he's able to build a connection with the audience. I liked seeing Paul Hogan in this role, too. It's a performance squarely in his wheelhouse, but this is the kind of role he excels in. It's a bit silly because of the overall story, but Hogan gives a good performance. It was fun seeing Hogan and Wood interact- they make a good pair. I loved seeing Jonathan Banks here, too. He became such a lovable person for his work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul later in his career. It was a delight to see him embrace this obviously bad character. He's probably a bit too over-the-top, but he achieves what he sets out to- kids will absolutely not like it. I had fun watching him in this role. The rest of the cast is fine, but mostly unremarkable. Isaac Hayes shows up for a few minutes, but doesn't have a whole lot to do.

Flipper is never bad, but it didn't need to be as predictable as it ended up being. The script is the problem here. Some aspects work- the troubled boy trying to find himself, the gruff uncle out of his element- those themes are evergreen and always worth seeing. Flipper didn't quite feel fully utilized. There's the whole money-making scheme (which seemed unrealistic), and then the fisherman trying to hunt dolphins. Okay, I can buy that. Then, SPOILER ALERT (if you care), the whole subplot about the toxic waste dumping felt a bit forced. It sets up an exciting and not believable conclusion. I think with a stronger director and a better script, this movie could have been really enjoyable. Now, I know I watched this movie late- decades after it's release. However, I don't think I have heard anyone ever talk about loving Flipper. It's a perfectly okay movie, but people aren't pointing to this film as a hallmark of their childhoods. Shoot, it's entirely possible (maybe even probable) that I've seen this movie before. I just have zero recollection of it. That wouldn't surprise me.

Flipper doesn't quite live up to expectations, but it's never bad. I think it got close to being decent, but I couldn't quite see it there. Instead, it lives below the "decent" line, in those forgettable movies that don't offend, but still feel like a disappointment.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



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