'Finding Nemo' (2003)
MPAA G
By Rev. Robin Blair
Menu Plan | Discussion Questions | Scripture Resources | Crossword Puzzle
Can a fish story about a single father and his son speak to us about family, faith, love, trust and obedience? We think so!
Happy Father's Day! And what better way to celebrate than to sit down as a family and watch a terrific movie about an overprotective clown fish and his son, Nemo.
Not that Marlin (the dad) doesn't have good reason to be overprotective. Nemo is his only child to survive a barracuda attack that also killed his wife, Coral. Nemo also has an under-developed fin, but this doesn't slow him down one bit.
However, Nemo doesn't understand his dad's overprotective streak and as he gets older, gets more and more annoyed with his father. This leads to an incident in which Nemo is captured by divers and ends up in a fish tank in a dentist's office.
When Nemo is captured, Marlin has to let go of his fears and begin a long, and at times dangerous, journey to get him back. Luckily, he finds Dory, a blue tang with short-term memory problems, to go with him.
Along the way, both father and son learn some important lessons which help them understand each other better.
Parents should know:
- Marlin obsesses over Nemo's safety. Like all parents, Marlin has to figure out how to love Nemo without smothering his potential so he can become who God created him to be.
- There are lots of predatory creatures with very big teeth ready to eat the small and seemingly vulnerable creatures.
- Nemo is openly defiant of his father.
- Nemo's mother is killed in the opening scenes of the film (off-camera).
This excellent and visually dazzling film is voiced by: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Geoffrey Rush and Elizabeth Perkins.
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Menu plan
This week's menu is fun food for Dad and the family!
No time to cook? Substitute where you can and just leave out what you don't have time to prepare.
- Coral Reef Party Punch - Enjoy the beautiful colors of the coral reef in this sweet-tasting and fun to make punch!
- Seaweed Salad (spinach salad with fruit) - You may call it spinach salad but it looks like seaweed to us! Summer berries help make this dish really good for you.
- Chicken kabobs for the grill (vegetables/fruit only for vegetarians) - Yummy marinade, fruit and vegetables make this a special meal for your Dad.
- Ice Creams Sundaes - build your favorites with Dad (Scoop vanilla ice cream into bowls and lay out sundae fixings including crumbled cookies, candies, chopped fruit and at the end of the line, chocolate sauce.
Remember - with clean hands and a cheerful spirit, the children can be a big help in the kitchen in the preparation of any meal for your family time together.
For this meal try inviting them to:
- Pop ice out of trays and learn to stir the punch to make things ready for a celebration of Dad! (Younger children)
- Help crumble cookies (younger children) and chop fruit (older children) for the sundaes.
- Help with the pineapple and vegetables for the kabobs (older children).
- Set the table or ready the trays (if you are eating in front of the TV).
- Write out a blessing before the meal.
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Watching a movie as a family provides an opportunity to draw our children into a discussion of spiritual themes in a fun, relaxed way. "Finding Nemo" offers a chance to discuss the themes of: family, faith, love, trust and obedience.
Try these ideas at the dinner table the day after the movie, or if you are driving somewhere together. You may pick and choose which question or questions might be helpful in your own family to deepen your faith, strengthen your family relationship or just start a conversation.
Discussion Questions (for after the movie (as everyone helps clean up the dinner):
- Nemo loved his father and was generally obedient. Why was Nemo so disobedient toward his father this one time?
- Does his curiosity get him into trouble?
- If Nemo had obeyed his father and stayed away from the boat, would the diver have found him?
- Talk among your family about disobedience. Do you think a family has to trust one another, in love and faith, to be obedient with one another? Why or why not?
- Why was Marlin so afraid for Nemo? What is the fine line between being afraid to take risks, and taking risks to try new things? How is your faith involved in taking risks?
- As the film begins, Marlin and Coral were joking around about how they met; have you ever asked your parents how they met and fell in love?
- Finding Nemo is a story about a pretend bunch of fish and sea creatures that talk like people. We know that is pretend, because fish talk like fish - not people! Have you ever sat quietly by a stream or river to watch and listen to all that lives in and around the water? Do you think God's creatures communicate?
- Nemo has one fin that was smaller than the other. Do you know anyone whose body functions differently than yours? If so, have they ever told you how they feel about it?
- Dory is a bright blue fish with a gentle spirit. What makes her a good friend to Marlin? Are you a good friend to someone?
- How would you describe trust (like Marlin learns from Dory)?
- Even though Marlin was obsessively protective and Nemo disobedient, the family love they shared was powerful enough to cross barriers and overcome obstacles and dangers, until they were together again. Do you think that as families, we should forgive one another when mistakes are made? Why is forgiveness important?
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Scripture Resources
Obedience and trust are two spiritual themes run throughout, Finding Nemo. Below are scriptures from Judaism, Christianity and Islam that speak to those themes.
Judaism
Obedience
Proverbs 1:8 - My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
Deuteronomy 26:17
You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him.
Trust
2 Kings 18:5
Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.
Psalm 25:2
in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
Christianity
Obedience
Acts 6:7
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
2 Corinthians 2:9
The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.
1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
Trust
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. (NIV)
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
Islam
Obedience
2:043 And perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and bow with those that bow. (Arberry)
2:139 Say, "Do you argue with us about GOD, when He is our Lord and your Lord? We are responsible for our deeds, and you are responsible for your deeds. To Him alone we are devoted." (Khalifa)
Trust
2:186
When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided. (Khalifa)
3:122 when two companies of you were on the point of showing cowardice; but God was their guardian, for on God surely the believers do rely. (Palmer)
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