A remarkable animated road film without a road

Rating: 7/10 (14 June 2003)

Finding Nemo is wonderful. Gorgeous to look at with animation that wouldn't be possible even five years ago and written with deft, fun, and heart. The film may suffer from being directed solely at kids and there requisite guardians (me and my brother were likely the only 15 to 25 year-olds in the whole cineplex) which makes the plot structure of the titular youngen Nemo swimming off on his own to do some much needed growing up while simultaneously forcing his father Marlin to challenge himself and grow no small amount himself so delightfully subversive. Defoe, Brooks and Rush's voicework is quite brilliant but believe me when I say this, DeGeneres improbably steals the show. After the first word her character Dory said I shuddered and thought I'd be in for a long two hours. But with significant screen time she never once got tiresome or annoying. I caught myself laughing at her jokes and thought to myself, 'this is Ellen DeGeneres, right?' Y'all may not have my inborn mistrust of DeGeneres, but those who do, don't miss out on a truly surprising road film without a road.