1. A Mental Health Film Analysis of:
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A Mental Health Film Analysis of:
Finding Nemo
By: Irene, Carla, Sonayna, & Natasha

2. Finding Nemo was created by Disney and Pixar and was released in 2003
Finding Nemo was created by Disney and Pixar and was released in The film follows the protagonists Marlin, a widowed clown fish in his adventurous journey to find his missing son Nemo. Along the way, Marlin is accompanied by another fish named Dory in his search for his only son. At first sight, Dory appears to be an unsuitable companion due to her short-term memory. At times, she is oblivious in dangerous situations and often misinterprets instructions, leading the pair into risky situations. The movie follows the two while they make the tremulous journey from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney, Australia, where Nemo is made a pet by a dentist.
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3. In the beginning, Marlin experiences a traumatic event where his wife and many of his sons and daughters are murdered. All but one egg (Nemo) is saved from being eaten. From this event, Marlin develops a general fear of all things and is overly protective of Nemo. It seems as though Marlin suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has developed some symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as a result.
MARLIN
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4. DORY
Marlin’s sidekick Dory, displays signs and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Throughout the film she appears restless and is unable to maintain focus on a single task. Her short-term memory loss paired with her ADHD put her and Marlin in life-threatening situations, which in the end they overcome
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5. JACQUE
DEB/FLO
Other characters in the movie that depict mental illness are the characters Deb, Gurgle, and Jacque. Deb is a one of the fish that lives in the fish tank with Nemo. Deb displays symptoms of Schizoaffective as evidenced by her delusional belief that her reflection is her sister named Flo and manic episodes. Jacques and Gurgle exhibit symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder as evidenced by their extreme fear of germs, and the constant uncontrollable need to clean the fish tank.
GURGLE
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6. ANCHOR
CHUM
BRUCE
The Sharks Bruce, Anchor, and Chum have an addiction to eating fish. In one scene, Marlin and Dory find themselves at one of their addiction support group sessions, where the Sharks pledge “Fish are friends, not food”. Addiction is a mental illness that can severely interfere with a person’s everyday life. Bruce, Anchor, and Chum, were able to pull themselves out of addiction and live the life they want to live.
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7. In the end, Marlin and Nemo are reunited
In the end, Marlin and Nemo are reunited. Through his journey to find Nemo, he overcomes his anxiety. As a result, he feels more comfortable allowing Nemo to be more independent and experience life as a normal kid. Although Marlin’s anxiety issues were seemingly resolved, treatment for mental illnesses (i.e. anxiety, PTSD, OCD, addictions, ADHD, etc.) often require complex methods of treatment over a long period of time. Each individuals treatment and rehabilitation journey is unique. The movie Finding Nemo subtly introduces children to various forms of mental illness/disability and embraces them in quirky characters.
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8. References
Stanton, A., & Unkrich, L. (Directors), & Walters, G. (Producer). (2003). Finding nemo[Motion picture on DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Pictures. Pixar Animation Studios.