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Bring the tissues because Dory, Nemo and Marlin are back, and it’s no sophomore slump.

Pixar’s “Finding Dory”—a sequel to 2003’s “Finding Nemo”—follows Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), the blue tang with short-term memory loss, as she tries to navigate her way back to her parents, Charlie (Eugene Levy) and Jenny (Diane Keaton).

Picking up a year after the events of “Finding Nemo,” Dory starts to remember bits and pieces of her childhood before she was separated from her parents. She decides to search for them with the help of Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence). They find their way to California and the Marine Life Institute. After getting separated from her friends, Dory meets Hank (Ed O’Neill), a curmudgeonly octopus; Bailey (Ty Burrell), a beluga whale; and Destiny (Kaitlin Olson), a whale shark with bad vision.

With the help of her new friends, Dory navigates her way back to her parents while Marlin and Nemo try to find their way back to Dory.

“Finding Dory” is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. It’s a stunning film visually, showcasing the vast depth of the ocean and its inhabitants. And while the film wows, it also rips your heart into pieces. Though Dory’s memory loss was comedic relief in “Finding Nemo,” it’s the main source of true heartbreak in this film. Dory really can’t remember anything, and when she loses her way, she’s left by herself to figure out what to do.

Don’t be fooled by the name of the movie, though. “Finding Dory” is as much about finding her parents as it is about coming of age and finding out who you are and what matters most to you. In “Finding Nemo,” Dory acknowledges that she’s forgetful, but when around Marlin, she remembers and feels like she’s home. It’s a valuable lesson that carries through to the sequel, that home ends up always being where the heart is. Marlin might be the only fish in the sea who worries so much about even the slightest possibility of something going wrong, but Dory is family, and when push comes to shove, he would do anything for her. And it’s what makes “Finding Dory” so relatable.

There’s a sense of familiarity with “Finding Dory.” It’s not breaking new ground. But it also doesn’t have to. Pixar has perfected the formula, and if it’s not broken, there’s no point in trying to fix it. It just works.

We waited for 13 years for a sequel to “Finding Nemo,” and with “Finding Dory,” we’re finally home.

Finding Dory
3.5 out of 4 stars
PG