The surface of Finding Nemo is a supreme visual delight, a kaleidoscopic tidal-wave of color and invention. It has bad puns, slapstick, and deft wit; surfer-dude turtles, sharks in a twelve-step program, and the unforgettably forgetful Dory. But like all the best family films, Nemo has deeper waters: themes of growing up and letting go, of the joys and responsibilities of friendship. And at its heart is a genuinely moving story of sacrificial love, as a timid agoraphobic clownfish must overcome his fears and go to the ends of the earth to save his only son.
—Edmund Barnes