This last weekend I saw one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, not once, but twice, and I absolutely loved it. It was touching, hilarious and nostalgic without being over the top. Like most 90s kids, I have been waiting for this movie to come since the original, "Finding Nemo" came out in 2003. "Finding Dory" follows the story of a fish named Dory traveling across the ocean to find her parents after forgetting them for most of her life due to her short-term memory loss. Her condition does not allow her to remember events that very recently occurred, such as the beginning of a conversation or where she was five minutes ago. One of the many reasons I loved this movie so much was how they created a story around Dory's mental illness, and therefore, addressed mental illnesses in general.
In "Finding Nemo" we met Dory when she literally ran into Marlin, Nemo's dad, while he was trying to track down his son who was taken by divers. From that point on, Dory added the necessary comedic relief the story needed. Dory's silliness and spontaneity highlight Marlin's pessimism and need for structure, making her his foil. Dory's short-term memory loss is especially humorous to us because it disrupts Marlin's careful planning. However, in "Finding Dory" we are forced to sit back and wonder if laughing was the appropriate response to Dory's, what seemed minor at the time, set back.
"Finding Dory" does an excellent job of showing how mental illness can so profoundly affect someone's life. When Dory is separated from her family as a child, she is unable to find them because she can not remember where they went. Like many people with a mental illness, Dory asks for help but people are unable or unwilling to give her a chance because she can not communicate her thoughts on their terms. Marlin is the first person to give her a chance and soon learns that Dory, despite that she may not think or do things the way most would, is still valuable. Throughout the movie, Dory shows that even though she struggles with some things that come naturally to most, she is able to accomplish more than anyone, even herself, can imagine. She doesn't need to change or cure her memory loss, she just needs people that can believe in her.
While I understand that mental illness is a very broad term and is more complicated than this, especially with medication and psychotherapy, I still think this movie sends an incredibly positive message to kids. There are still people today who do not believe in the validity of mental illness. People will say things like "just try harder" or "you should just stop being sad or angry." Thankfully the numbers of these comments are growing smaller and more people are willing to learn about mental illness. Dory serves a great example of someone who both acknowledged her mental illness and doesn't let it hold her back.
I hope someday we will be able to cure mental illnesses, just like other illnesses, but for now, we must help those who suffer to realize that they are valuable and loved for who they are. I hope kids suffering from a mental illness can connect with Dory and see why it is so important, even when something seems too hard, to just keep swimming.
