I suppose this one went directly to DVD and few saw it. I found a copy at my local public library. It is a very enjoyable 90 minutes of viewing. It doesn't break much new ground, but it does what it intends to do very well.
It starts off in the US and Carly Schroeder as 14 year old Alyssa is having a rough time. Her mom died recently and she puts on too much makeup, has Ipod buds in her ear all day long, and is about to be suspended from school. She is being cared for by her grandmother, Katharine Ross (of 'The Graduate' fame) as Lucy, who breaks the news to her that she has a father. Mom had always told her that her father was dead, but in fact he lived in the Bahamas and was doing research with Dolphins.
Naturally Alyssa isn't too happy about all these developments but she and her grandmother travel to the Bahamas anyway, to look up dad, who is Irishman Adrian Dunbar as Dr. James Hawk. He never knew he had a daughter. Christine Adams is Hawk's girlfriend Tamika, who with her friendly smile gets Alyssa to venture out a bit as they go Conch hunting. Alyssa very gradually warms up to this new environment, but her dad turns out to be a very difficult person.
So the story is equally about Alyssa getting to feel good again about herself, and for she and her dad to create some sort of bond. It happens gradually and in a believable manner. Good, clean movie.
SPOILERS: There are those who want to shut Hawk down, terming his research as "junk research", and instead turn the Dolphin habitat into a tourist attraction. The fight energizes Alyssa also, and in the end we see her taking a lead role, as she addresses a crowd of visitors, a place where they can interact with the Dolphins in a controlled environment and to learn from each other.
It starts off in the US and Carly Schroeder as 14 year old Alyssa is having a rough time. Her mom died recently and she puts on too much makeup, has Ipod buds in her ear all day long, and is about to be suspended from school. She is being cared for by her grandmother, Katharine Ross (of 'The Graduate' fame) as Lucy, who breaks the news to her that she has a father. Mom had always told her that her father was dead, but in fact he lived in the Bahamas and was doing research with Dolphins.
Naturally Alyssa isn't too happy about all these developments but she and her grandmother travel to the Bahamas anyway, to look up dad, who is Irishman Adrian Dunbar as Dr. James Hawk. He never knew he had a daughter. Christine Adams is Hawk's girlfriend Tamika, who with her friendly smile gets Alyssa to venture out a bit as they go Conch hunting. Alyssa very gradually warms up to this new environment, but her dad turns out to be a very difficult person.
So the story is equally about Alyssa getting to feel good again about herself, and for she and her dad to create some sort of bond. It happens gradually and in a believable manner. Good, clean movie.
SPOILERS: There are those who want to shut Hawk down, terming his research as "junk research", and instead turn the Dolphin habitat into a tourist attraction. The fight energizes Alyssa also, and in the end we see her taking a lead role, as she addresses a crowd of visitors, a place where they can interact with the Dolphins in a controlled environment and to learn from each other.