Finding Dory review: unforgettable

More than any other studio, Pixar knows how to walk the line between entertainment and social awareness in its feature films.

Finding Dory, the sequel to the studio's 2003 hit, Finding Nemo, manages to not only pack in some of the same aquatic comedy that the first one was known for, but also addresses an issue that doesn't get talked about very often: living with a lifelong affliction and being the parents of a child who has to learn to cope with it.

More emotionally devastating than Finding Nemo ever was, Finding Dory uses a series of flashbacks to showcase how Dory got to be the little blue fish we know. While the mechanic can often seem tedious and lazy in films, Pixar makes it work, delivering riveting scenes between Dory and her parents and using her childhood experiences to make us more empathetic to her current plight.

Despite its emotional heaviness, there's still enough humor woven throughout to keep it lighthearted when the movie needs to be. Ty Burrell (Modern Family) as Bailey the beluga whale, for example, is one of the better parts of the movie and delivers some of the best one-liners.

Finding Dory could have been a disappointing sequel to one of Pixar's most beloved films, but instead has turned out to be more than a worthy successor, giving us the full tale on one of the best characters the studio ever created.

Finding Dory picks up a year after the events of Finding Nemo, with Dory living a new life as Marlon and Nemo's neighbor. She's happy and loved, but feels like there's still something missing from her life. When she stumbles upon a memory of her parents, however, she decides to go on a journey to cross the ocean to California and find them.

Unlike Finding Nemo, the journey isn't the main story, but rather what happens when they get to their destination. Dory spends most of her time trying to make her way around the facility where her parents are being kept and dealing with the various species of fish — and other sea creatures — she comes into contact with. Marlon and Nemo aren't far behind, but for the most part they stay out of the movie and let Dory do her thing.

It's a simple story of family, love and a desire to have those things in one's life, but there's an even more interesting and important note in the underlying theme. Dory is a fish who has had to learn to live with short term memory loss, and that has given her low-self esteem, an overwhelming sense of guilt and a feeling of not belonging anywhere. We got to see how Dory copes with her condition somewhat in Finding Nemo, but in the sequel, we get a first-hand look at how difficult it was for Dory growing up and realizing she was much different from the rest of the fish in her life. We also get to see the effect it has on Dory's parents, who love her unconditionally and adore her — but who are also with constant concern over what will happen to Dory when they die.

It's one of the most touching and humane aspects of the movie and it's where the film shines brightest. Dory's condition, while used as a punchline for many of the jokes in the film, is also taken seriously and given attention that it didn't receive in Finding Nemo. This isn't just a funny fish who can't remember what she was talking about 30 seconds ago, but a woman struggles to connect with people because of her condition.

While focusing heavily on Dory's condition, Pixar acknowledges that it's a daily struggle, but never makes it seem like Dory can't do certain things because of it. Instead, the movie focuses heavily on Dory's ability to cope with her condition and look past it. It doesn't define her or what she's capable of, it's simply a part of her. In many ways, this similar to the story of Finding Nemo, which followed the eponymous young clownfish as he learned that he was capable of more than he thought, after being separated from his overbearing father. Finding Dory uses the same ideas to showcase Dory's handicap — and her ability to accomplish feats even she thought were impossible.

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For example, two sea lions — voiced by Idris Elba and Dominic West — are only in the movie for a couple of minutes, but they combine physical comedy with witty one-liners that make for some pretty funny scenes. It's the type of humor that will appeal to both kids and adults, and remains in-line with the comedy stylings of Finding Nemo.

Two of the other new characters, Bailey and Jenny (Ty Burrell and Kaitlin Olson), manage to keep the film going when it needs a bit of lighthearted humor. Bailey and Jenny quickly befriend Dory and try to help her reunite with her parents, but it's the conversations they have with each other and the banter they keep going in every scene they're in that results in the funniest moments.

It's hard to imagine Finding Nemo needing a sequel, but in terms of delivering on a promise, Finding Dory is more than a worthy successor for Pixar. It's a beautiful, heart wrenching look at the life of someone growing up with a condition they can't shake off and its effect it has on their psyche as well as their family. Even more important, however, is that it reminds us that a person is not defined by their unique limitations, but rather by what they can accomplish.

Finding Dory is a movie about finding hope even in the darkest of places. About learning to love and connect with people even when you previously thought you couldn't. About remembering, even when you don't know where you're supposed to end up, to just keep swimming.