We All Swim With The Pout-Pout Fish in the Deep Blue Sea

Ed Sum

4 days ago

The Pout-Pout Fish Poster The Pout-Pout Fish had me wondering if Mr. Fish is somehow a distant cousin of Red from Angry Birds. Their personalities are not quite the same, but both characters exist in worlds that seem determined to tell them to cheer up. Here, the glum Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) has his solitude interrupted by a very chipper young seadragon named Pip (Nina Oyama), who mistakes his home for a safe refuge. When trouble hits their stretch of reef off the Meanjin coast, located off of Brisban, the two have little choice but to work together.

An overgrowth of seaweed drifts in with the tides, turning the area into a maze of thick kelp that leaves the local marine population struggling to navigate. This spreading plant also creates a darkness that other marine life find unsettling.

Once Mr. Fish learns that Shimmer (Jordin Sparks) may be able to help, the pair head off on an adventure that feels closer to PIXAR than DreamWorks, with a touch of Finding Nemo in its underwater world-building. What gives the film its charm is how it handles Mr. Fish’s anxiety. He is not grumpy for the sake of it. Like Marlin, he is wary of the world beyond what feels safe, and that fear makes every new encounter seem bigger than it is.

Pip becomes the perfect foil. It is not because this youth is forcing his optimism onto the elder. The reason is because Mr. Fish slowly finds himself seeing the world a little differently through Pip’s eyes. That dynamic gives young viewers something real to hold onto.

Like the book series that inspired it, the film ultimately leans into hope. Flashbacks reveal why Mr. Fish became so withdrawn, tracing that sadness back to a childhood moment when he was separated from his father and helped by a mysterious pink angelfish. Those scenes give the story its emotional anchor. The real heart of the film lies in how Mr. Fish learns to trust his own instincts, open himself to friendship, and understand what truly matters. Directors Ricard Cussó (Scarygirl) and Rio Harrington, making his feature debut, handle that emotional arc well. The latter’s background in digital compositing also pays off, giving the deep-sea world a vivid glow and helping its aquatic life naturally fluoresce.

What also works is the environmental message. Although kelp forests are not invasive in the real-world sense, the film uses them as a clear metaphor for how change can disrupt a community and force everyone to adapt. That choice gives the story a gentler, more thoughtful edge.

Even the smaller characters leave an impression, especially an unnamed tube worm with a silent, sunglasses-wearing coolness that steals the show. He looks like he could drift into almost any animated movie set under the sea and belong there instantly. There is also another familiar-looking character, a starfish who resembles Oogie Boogie, and that is all I’ll say. Since the filmmakers draw inspiration from various sources, what they introduce feels welcoming. Between cute and cool, this film has it all!

As a family film, The Pout-Pout Fish works well as an introduction to the property. It is bright, accessible, and easy to enjoy on its own terms. Not everyone will be familiar with the books. If Like a Photon Creative wants to keep expanding its presence in animated features, this is a much stronger step forward. For families looking for a sweet, visually lively film with a hopeful core, this one is worth catching on the big screen.

3½ Stars out of Five