Dolphin Tale is based on a 2005 true story about how a fisherman and a young boy Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) rescued a beached dolphin entangled in crab-fishing gear that resulted in her tale being amputated.

Sawyer cut the fishing line off the traumatized dolphin and the two quickly became friends. Director Charles Martin Smith takes us through the lives of the dolphin, played by the real life Winter, herself. He also embarks us on the journey of Sawyer who’s only hobby is building cool model helicopters and hanging with his former high school swimming champ/cousin Kyle (Austin Stowell) before he sets off to war.

Sawyer starts skipping summer school to be near Winter, who is being treated at Clearwater Marine Aquarium and is eventually busted by his mom Lorraine (Ashley Judd) and that, of course causes conflict between them and the school. The film has a hint of the 1960′s tv series, Flipper, with the two young boys being Bud and Sandy. It is a sweet story with some happy tears to follow.

Dr. Clay (Harry Connick Jr.) Plays the doctor who takes it in to nurse her back to health with the help of his staff and Hazel, his young daughter (Cozy Zuehlsdorff). Hazel and Sawyer become close buds and Winter now will only eat from Sawyer’s hand, but the ordeal isn’t over yet.

Dr. Clay visits a prosthetic shop headed by Morgan Freeman, who after many trial and error attempts, fits Winter with an artificial tail to save her life. It’s amazing to see what is involved in saving marine animals and the money it requires. Dr. Clay’s business is struggling to stay afloat (no pun intended) during a recession and how they devise a plan to keep from getting shut down.

Dolphin Tale, in 3D and 2D, is a great kids story which these days, are hard to find. Kris Kristofferson plays Clay’s dad in this movie, looks/good, but does a lot standing around. If you stick around for the closing credits, you can see actual footage of Winter in her Clearwater Aquarium home in Florida.

This very much is a heartwarming story that kids and moms will thoroughly enjoy, especially when we read about and see other dolphins slaughtered across the world. How easy it appears to fit one with a skin tight artificial tail. This film should do well among competitors opening weekend, even though some of those opening the same weekend as this, will be of different substance.

The photography is very pleasing to the eye and the touching scenes with Sawyer and Kyle are precious.

Dolphin Tale opens in theaters September 22, 2011, is only PG and swims under two hours. It can be experienced in 3D or 2D. What’s in your wallet?

By Hustlin Bob Higgins 2 1/2 stars