Finding Nemo is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy family film written and directed by Andrew Stanton, released by Walt Disney Pictures, and produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It tells the story of the over-protective clownfish named Marlin (Albert Brooks) who, along with a regal tang named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), searches for his abducted son Nemo (Alexander Gould) all the way to Sydney Harbour. Along the way, Marlin learns to take risks and let Nemo take care of himself.
Finding Nemo shows both physical journeys and inner journeys. The two physical journeys shown in the film belong to Marlin and Nemo. Marlin’s journey is to find his lost son. This involves swimming from his home in a tropical reef, out into the open ocean, and eventually into Sydney Harbour. As well as the physical trek, Marlin also must undertake an inner journey to find Nemo. He must face his fears of the open ocean, and leaving the security of his home. When Marlin does find Nemo, at the climax of the film, he must learn to let his son go when Nemo tries to save Dory and hundreds of other fish from a fishing net. Stanton shows Marlin overcoming this final inner obstacle through a still moment involving the father and son, in which Marlin lets Nemo’s fin go, symbolising him finally accepting that his son can take care of himself.
The other physical journey in the film is Nemo’s and the other fish’s escape from the tank before Darla arrives. Nemo is faced with a life or death dilemma and must escape from the tank and into the ocean before the dentist’s niece, Darla, comes to visit. The dentist is planning to give Nemo to Darla as a present, but as Nemo is told by the other fish in the tank, Darla is renowned for killing the fish that are given to her. Nemo is also faced with an inner journey. When the fish’s plan to get the tank dirty and escape when the dentist takes them out to clean it does not work, Nemo must find a way to escape without help from the