446. Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo is Buscando a Nemo en Espanol. I alternate English and Spanish with William. I think it's important that he becomes bilingual.

I've seen Finding Nemo so many times. A friend suggested to me it's about obedience. I thought about that. Nemo is taken away because of his spiteful rejection of his father's advice, to not go past the drop off--which is where his mother and brothers were killed. But I think it's also about confidence, taking risks, wild vs. domesticated or less wild, friendship as well as the importance of listening to good advice. Marlin doesn't listen to the advice to swim through the wall, not over it, and ends him up in the jelly fish school.

In the denouement of the film is when right after they reunite, Dorry gets caught up in net with a school of fish, and Nemo imagines he can rescue them, and Marlin his father lets go of his fear of losing him, and lets him go into the net, to swim down. Of course it's a cheap move that he's laying on the ground afterwards, and a relief when he's OK. It is also how trust is important in friendship.

Dorry with her memory loss, is able to enjoy life. Marlin with his continuity of purpose survives many travails, but is also tortured by the loss of his wife and 199 children.

I do enjoy the travel, journey, odyssey type narrative, with various trials. I think the weakest story line are the sharks who treat eating fish as a kind of AA kind of thing. My favorite character is Crush, and his letting his son take risks is a poignant counter point to Marlin's playing it safe.

I think it's a funny scene to end with the tank fish in the water, finally escaping, but still in the bags. It's kind of like, what next?! Life is a series of problems you try to solve, that is never ending.

I really like the ritual scene where Nemo is given the ceremonial name "Shark Bait". William likes to chant and make the ritual sounds. I think of it in terms of my own hopeful ordination into the Western Buddhist Order.

It's a really beautiful movie, visually, and it makes me want to go snorkeling in a reef. I'm glad my son has chosen this movie to like, I think he has good taste.