Shark Tale

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Shark Tale ★★½ 2004 (PG)

This animated underwater comedy has the faint smell of dead fish clinging to it—probably because it tries too hard. Boastful guppy Oscar (Smith) works at the mobfronted Whale Wash and is in trouble with his boss (Scorsese), who thinks the kid should be taught a lesson. Teaching lessons is also on the mind of shark mob boss Lino (De Niro), who wants son Frankie (Imperioli) to straighten out his younger bro, Lenny (Black), a sweet schnook who's gone vegetarian. Oscar takes the credit when Frankie accidentally gets killed and then must defend his reputation as a sharkslayer, aided by a reluctant Lenny. Longtime collaborators De Niro and Scorsese have a blast spoofing wiseguys but a lot of the humor will only be understood by movieloving adults and may prove sleepinducing to the younger set. 92m/C VHS, DVD. D: Victoria Jenson, Bibo Bergeron, Rob Letterman; W: Michael J. Wilson, Rob Letterman; M: Hans Zimmer; V: Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Renee Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Martin Scorsese, Peter Falk, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore, Doug E. Doug, Ziggy Marley, Katie Couric, Jenifer Lewis, Lenny Venito, Phil LaMarr.