September 10, 2004 (Venice)
October 1, 2004 (United States)
Shark Tale is a 2004 American animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was directed by Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron, and Rob Letterman, from a screenplay written by Letterman and Michael J. Wilson. The film features an ensemble cast that includes the voices of Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, and Martin Scorsese. It tells the story of an underachieving fish named Oscar (Smith) who falsely claims to have killed the son of a shark mob boss Don Lino (De Niro) in an attempt to advance his community standing. Oscar teams up with the mobster's younger son Lenny (Black) to keep up the facade.
Shark Tale premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 10, 2004, and was theatrically released in the United States by DreamWorks Pictures on October 1. It made $374.6 million worldwide against its $75 million budget, finishing its theatrical run as the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2004. The film received mixed reviews from film critics. Advocacy groups criticized the film for its use of Italian-American stereotypes. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 77th Academy Awards.
Storyline
In the Southside Reef, Oscar is a lonely bluestreak cleaner wrasse who, in his childhood, dreamed of being a tongue-scrubber at the local Whale Wash like his father until he was cruelly mocked for it. Since working at the wash, Oscar now wishes to be rich and famous, but owes money to his boss and the Whale Wash's owner, a pufferfish named Sykes. His best friend, an angelfish named Angie who has a secret crush on him, offers him a pearl that was a gift from her grandmother to pawn and pay his debt. Oscar brings the money from the pearl to a seahorse race to meet Sykes, but hears that the race is rigged and bets it all on a seahorse named "Lucky Day". A feisty redhead gold digger lionfish named Lola sees this and seduces Oscar.
Sykes is annoyed that Oscar bet the money, but he hopes that Oscar might win. Lucky Day eventually takes the lead, only to trip and lose short of the finish line, revealing that the race was rigged against him. Sykes loses his temper and orders his two Jamaican henchmen jellyfish, Ernie and Bernie, to punish Oscar for his actions by banishing him from the reef. Meanwhile, Don Lino, the boss of a mob gang of sharks, orcas, sailfish, and octopuses, which Sykes works for, dislikes that his younger son Lenny is a vegetarian, and orders his older son, Frankie, to mentor Lenny. While Ernie and Bernie repeatedly sting Oscar, Frankie notices the scene and urges Lenny to eat Oscar. Lenny instead frees Oscar and tells him to escape. Frankie is enraged and charges at Oscar, only to be killed when an anchor from above the surface falls on his neck. Blaming himself for his brother's demise, a devastated Lenny leaves.
Returning to the reef, Oscar takes credit for killing Frankie and rises in fame as the "Sharkslayer". He moves to a luxury apartment at the "top of the reef", while Sykes becomes his manager and forgives his debt. Meanwhile, Don Lino has everyone search for Lenny and the Sharkslayer. Oscar encounters Lenny who, aware of Oscar's lie, begs Oscar to let him hide at his place to avoid returning to his father. Angie soon finds out about Oscar's lie and threatens to tell everyone, but he and Lenny convince her to keep it a secret. Oscar and Lenny stage a fight involving Oscar "fighting" off Lenny, thus cementing Oscar's notoriety and tricking the sharks into thinking that Lenny has been killed too, infuriating Don Lino. Lola kisses Oscar on camera, making Angie jealous. That night, as Lenny disguises himself as a dolphin, Oscar and Angie get into a heated argument, where she admits that she had romantic feelings for Oscar even before he became the Sharkslayer. A remorseful Oscar sadly reflects on his selfishness and dumps Lola, who beats him up in anger as payback.
Oscar visits the Whale Wash with gifts for Angie, only to discover that Don Lino has kidnapped her with Lola's help as revenge for being dumped. Don Lino threatens to eat Angie if Oscar does not give up his act and surrender, but Lenny "eats" Angie to save her. He soon regurgitates her, inadvertently exposing his true shark self to Don Lino. Believing that he turned his son against him, an enraged Don Lino chases Oscar through the reef. Oscar flees to the Whale Wash, accidentally trapping Lenny in the machinery before also trapping Don Lino. Everyone cheers for Oscar, but he finally confesses the truth behind Frankie's death while urging Don Lino to respect Lenny's lifestyle and not commit the same mistakes he made. A regretful Don Lino reconciles with Lenny and accepts him for who he is. Oscar forsakes all the wealth he has acquired; becomes co-owner of the Whale Wash, now frequented by the gang members; and reconciles with Angie, beginning a romantic relationship with her and living happily in the reef. Lola arrives at the penthouse to apologize to Oscar for her antagonism, only to encounter his deranged hermit crab friend Crazy Joe instead.
Also See
- Club Oscar (2005) (Shorts)
- Shark Tale (2004) (TV Spots)