I assumed this film would follow similar territory to what Free Willy (released a year before) did, just with a different lovable sea creature, it was certainly I film I knew at the time would get the family going, directed by George Miller (The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter, Robinson Crusoe). Basically set in 1962 in Rockport, Maine, nine-year-old Toni Whitney (Napoleon Dynamite's Tina Majorino) and her family find and adopt an orphaned baby seal, they name it Andre (played by Tory the sea lion). Andre is manageable as a pup, but as he grows up he starts getting into mischief, some of the fishermen in the town are antagonised, by this point Toni has formed an inseparable friendship and bond with Andre. One of the fisherman upset is Billy Baker (Keith Szarabajka), because Toni's father Harry (Keith Carradine, David's brother), he was appointed Harbour Master instead of him, particularly because of the seal, so the friendship between the seal and Toni is threatened. The humorous antics of Andre gains media attention, so this upsets the fishermen even more that think their business will be run down, in the end Toni knows that Andre should be returned to the sea, so he is released and freed. Also starring Chelsea Field as Thalice Whitney, Shane Meier as Steve Whitney, Aidan Pendleton as Paula Whitney, Shirley Broderick as Mrs. McCann, Andrea Libman as Mary May, Joshua Jackson as Mark Baker and Jay Brazeau as Griff Armstrong. There is not much of a storyline, but this is based on a true story about a real family, the seal (well, sea lion) is obviously very cute as it blows raspberries, burps and does dancing tricks, and the sentimentality is definitely milked, it is perhaps too mawkish for my liking, but it is something kids will enjoy, not a bad family comedy drama adventure. Okay!