Finding Dory, a same-but-different spin on 2003’s tremendously popular Finding Nemo, is relentless in its pursuit of getting its audience to sob.(Think of it as an interactive film: the characters are immersed in salty water, so the audience should be, too.)
These are tremendously effective moments, thanks to the highly advanced machinery that can create nuanced emotional tics on the faces of kooky, googly-eyed creatures and the outstanding voice acting talent of people like Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks and(believe it or not) sitcom dingus Ed O’Neill.
This isn’t to say the film isn’t repetitive or facile, it most surely is, but when it moves with its natural currents it is quite a remarkable achievement.