Flipper (1996)
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32% of critics liked it
(19 reviews) -
44% of users liked it
(57,156 ratings)
In this adventure drama for the family, based on the popular TV series of the mid-'60s, Sandy Ricks (Elijah Wood) is a moody teenager from Chicago who is not dealing well with the recent divorce of his parents. In the hope that a change of scenery will do him good, Sandy is sent to spend the… More In this adventure drama for the family, based on the popular TV series of the mid-'60s, Sandy Ricks (Elijah Wood) is a moody teenager from Chicago who is not dealing well with the recent divorce of his parents. In the hope that a change of scenery will do him good, Sandy is sent to spend the summer with his Uncle Porter (Paul Hogan), an aging hippie and fisherman who lives on Coral Key, an island off the coast of Florida. The sun and sand do little to improve Sandy's outlook on life, even after he meets Kim (Jessica Wesson), a pretty girl who lives nearby, but he becomes sunnier when he encounters Flipper, a friendly dolphin, while boating with Porter. When Sandy helps save Flipper from a pack of bloodthirsty charter-boat fishermen, led by the mean-spirited Dirk Moran (Jonathan Banks), the dolphin becomes the boy's loyal companion (at least when Sandy is close to the water). But Sandy soon discovers that Dirk is dumping toxic waste into the waters of Coral Key, and with the help of Cathy (Chelsea Field), a friend of Porter's with a background in marine biology, Sandy and Porter try to gather enough evidence so that Sheriff Buck Cowan (Isaac Hayes) will be able to put Dirk behind bars. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Alan Shapiro
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Kids & Family
- In Theaters
- May 17, 1996 Wide
- Studio
- MCA Universal Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Mike Clark, USA Today
Flipper is inoffensive, but it's also asleep in the deep.
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Brian Costello, Common Sense Media
Warmhearted remake of TV classic has some scary moments.
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David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...an inoffensive yet utterly forgettable endeavor.
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James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Formulaic kid-gets-whipped-into-shape by his ne'er-do-well uncle flick with Wood and Hogan offering likable enough performances to offset the charm of that wonderful dolphin.
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Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Paul Hogan, Elijah Wood, and a dolphin. There, I just saved you 97 minutes.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Cast
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Elijah Wood
as Sandy Ricks
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Paul Hogan
as Uncle Porter
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Chelsea Field
as Cathy Simms
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Isaac Hayes
as Sheriff Buck Cowan
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Jonathan Banks
as Dirk Moran
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Jason Fuchs
as Marvin
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Luke Halpin
as Bounty Fisherman No. 3
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Mal Jones
as Russ
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Louis Seeger Crume
as Mr. Dunnahy
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Jessica Wesson
as Kim
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Anne Carey
as Fisherman's Wife
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Allison Bertolino
as Sandy's Sister
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Mark Casella
as Bounty Fisherman
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Robert Deacon
as Bounty Fisherman
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Mary Jo Faraci
as Sandy's Mom
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Bill Kelley
as Tommy
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Bill Nolan
as Bartender
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Lindsay Treco
as Little Girl
- Ann Carey


