The Pout-Pout Fish

Deep in the ocean, Mr. Fish (voice of Nick Offerman) avoids other creatures of the sea, a behavior instilled in him by his father, who taught his son to avoid strangers. But when a 'cute and frilly' little sea dragon Pip (voice of Nina Oyama) asks for his help expanding her home for the imminent arrival of two to three hundred siblings, the dwelling is inadvertently crushed instead. Pip is now determined to seek out Shimmer (voice of Jordin Sparks), the storied fish who grants magic wishes, sparking a childhood memory for "The Pout-Pout Fish."

Laura's Review: B-

Directors Ricard Cussó and Rio Harrington keep the brightly animated action swimming in directions that should delight the kids while writers Elise Allen, Elie Choufany, and Dominic Morris adapt Deborah Diesen's children's book with some clever and subversive humor for adults. Animation fans are sure to recognize echoes of "Finding Nemo," both in Mr. Fish's father and the adventure which changes his outlook while tending to Pip, but it has enough of its own merits, especially in the characters of some highly amusing, internationally accented starfish, to entertain.

As soon as the ocean pout ventures out of his sunken boat, he's continually harassed with commands to 'cheer up' and 'smile - you'll live longer' and told that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. He harumphs and continues on with his business at Hector (voice of Mark Coles Smith) the octopus's store. (Keep an eye peeled for the school of fish reading such magazines as Cosmopollock and Manatee Fair.) But the fish nicknamed Crankypants by his mailman will surprise us by reacting to the pout of another fish, little Pip, with concern, and so is pulled into the little sea dragon's predicament. (In another clever gag, Mr. Fish will use a pufferfish as a paper bag to ease Pip's anxiety.)

In an adjacent part of the sea, cuttlefish Benji (voice of Remy Hii) is rebelling against his mother Marin's (voice of Miranda Otto) order for their school to leave their home in the abyss, as it's been cut off from sunlight by a growing kelp garden. Benji, too, thinks of Shimmer, thus beginning a two-way race to find the magical fish, as once she's granted a wish, she needs a rest period before granting another. Mr. Fish is very aware of this condition, so he will be surprised when Pip introduces delays to their quest, first to help two jellyfish whose tentacles have been placed beneath a rock, then to rescue a whale's lost pup, two acts of kindness returned when they need them most.

"The Pout-Pout Fish" is stuffed to the gills with colorful sea life, wavering beams of light, stirred up sand and the occasional bubble conjuring an underwater world. The pink and purple Dolphin's Cove is full of sexually suggestive marine life which will amuse adults while flying over the target audience's heads. Real life marine biology, like the cuttlefish's ability to 'hypnotize' its prey, is cleverly worked into the story, as is some meta commentary about adapting a book into a movie. Some design elements, like the big, cute eyes of "Puss in Boots," are borrowed here for Pip, who isn't above some manipulation. And while those starfish look just like "The Nightmare Before Christmas'" Oogie Boogie if he were wearing mussel shell sunglasses, their characterizations are this film's highlight. Ack Kinmonth makes some inventive choices employing a range of genres in his score.

While Oyama's childish perkiness as Pip might have been reined in a bit, Offerman gives a nice arc to his vocal work, going from gruff to gregarious.  Amy Sedaris voices three pink dolphins who begin as friends but end as foes while Andrew Buchanan deserves serious recognition for his starfish work.  Viva Kids' "The Pout-Pout Fish" won't be mistaken for Pixar, but it teaches solid life lessons with winning heart and humor.

Robin's Review: C

Mr. Fish lives in a dilapidated shipwreck which is wrecked, even more, by an enthusiastic little leafy sea dragon named Pip. The only hope to get his beloved home back is to find a magical Siamese fighting fish named Shimmer and get one wish granted for “The Pout-Pout Fish.”

I am always a sucker for a good animation, no matter what the story, serious or comedy. But, “The Pout-Pout Fish” is a big disappointment for a lifelong fan of the genre and the reason why is two-fold. For one, the idea of an animated undersea world was done much, much better in “Finding Nemo (2003)” with its relative “realism.”

For another, anthropomorphizing the fishy world for comedy is also done better in any of the “Sponge Bob” movies where Bikini Bottom is like home. “The Pout-Pout Fish” is derivative of both and a mere copy at that.

Mr. Fish, homeless because of Pip, has no choice but to follow the little fish’s advice and set off on the quest to find Shimmer. Along the way, they meet all manner of sea creatures, from octopus to whales to ninja starfish and cuttlefish and visit such places as Jellyfish Junction and the Crystal Caves.
It would not be a modern animation if it does not have an urgent environmental agenda. The filmmakers bring climate change into the story with a large cuttlefish colony being put in danger. Because of global warming, the growing kelp forest is blocking out the sunlight and destroying the cuttlefish home.

What began as a journey to get Mr. Fish’s home back turns into a all-hands-on-deck effort (or, off deck in this case) with the aquatic community joining fins to save their world.

Vocal talents are mixed bag with Nick Offerman giving dour life to Mr. Fish with his perpetual grimace that garners repeated suggestions to “cheer up” and “smile” from everyone around him. Pip, voiced by Nina Oyama, tends to be an annoyingly optimistic little character opposite her pessimistic companion.
The animation is colorful and the characters are, sometimes, given personality. The kids may like it, though the environmental message will go over the heads of most. I suppose that is to give the parents a reason to watch.

Viva Kids releases "The Pout-Pout Fish" in theaters on 3/20/26.