History TearJerker / FindingNemo

** The worst part is [[DarkIsNotEvil it's not even his own fault]]. He's merely a victim of an addiction he's worked so hard to overcome. This can be specially depressing for viewers who are recovering addicts themselves. Don't even get me started on how addiction can ruin one's relationships, though, luckily, the end of the movie shows us this isn't the case here.
** Ditto for Anchor and Chum, as they desperately try to hold Bruce back. It can especially resonate with not only the friends and family of not only addicts, but those of anyone desperately trying to stop their dear ones from committing mistakes that would ruin their lives.

** Dory's ''first line'' to Marlin [[FunnyAneurysmMoment retroactively]] becomes a '''major''' Tearjerker after [[WesternAnimation/FindingDory the sequel]] gives us the full, heartbreaking story behind it.

** Her entire memory loss becomes into Fridge Tear Jerking, after you had seen the sequel and seen what happened to her before meeting Marlin, also her line where she asks where her family is and asking Nemo if they are searching for father also become this, as the sequel reveals that she was had forgotten about them and she has been searching for them for years before she came across Marlin.

** You can tell by the cadence of her voice that she simply yells, "Stop!" instead of calling out Marlin's name because she ''doesn't know it,'' implying either that she's already forgotten it or Marlin didn't care enough to tell her.
*** Marlin did call himself by his name at least once in front of her. But then again, this is Dory we're talking about, so it wouldn't be surprising if she forgot it. (Plus how many times was he called by his name on screen after that?)

--->"I don't know where I am! I think I lost somebody, but I � I can't remember!"

* The whole movie is hinged on Marlin not wanting "I hate you" to be [[PartingWordsRegret the last thing his son says to him]].

* The scene where Marlin is saying, "It's okay, Daddy's here, Daddy's got you." It's right after Coral's implied death, so the audience is still likely to be a bit sad from that, and Marlin promises he won't let anything happen to Nemo and then names him the name his wife wanted while he would've preferred "Marlin Jr."
* The moment when Nemo tells Marlin, "I love you, daddy" and Marlin says, "I love you too, son".
* The completely heartwrenching moment when Marlin sees Nemo pretending to be dead in the plastic bag and, believing his son to really be dead, gives up and leaves in defeat. Dory's reaction as well:
--->'''Dory''': Oh my goodness...
** The reactions of the Tank Gang are roughly around the same, even if it's brief. Gill's voice and expression when he cries out to the apparently dead Nemo clearly show only one emotion: ''absolute horror''.
---> '''Gill''': ''SHARKBAIT!!''

* This is especially heartbreaking if you remember Coral's response to Marlin worrying that his kids wouldn't like him: "There's over 400 eggs, odds are, one of them is bound to like you." Ouch.

The whole movie is hinged on Marlin not wanting "I hate you" to be [[PartingWordsRegret the last thing his son says to him]].

-->'''Nemo''': (TranquilFury) I hate you.\\
** This is especially heartbreaking if you remember Coral's response to Marlin worrying that his kids wouldn't like him: "There's over 400 eggs, odds are, one of them is bound to like you." Ouch.
** The whole movie is hinged on Marlin not wanting "I hate you" to be [[PartingWordsRegret the last thing his son says to him]].

-->'''Marlin''': "You think you can do these things, but you just CAN'T, Nemo!"\\
'''Nemo''': (TranquilFury) I hate you.\\

* Marlin's paranoia about his son's well-being is what indirectly leads to him getting captured. The mere ''possibility'' that Nemo was about to swim out into open water is enough for him to abandon all rationale and scold him, refusing to listen to Nemo's side of the story that he was going to respect his father's wishes and not. Nemo ends up disobeying his father purely out of spite when Marlin finally says something that humiliates him in front of everyone present.

'''Nemo''': (TranquilFury) "I hate you."\\
(''Marlin's rage gives way to regret.'')

** Ditto for Anchor and Chum, as they desperately try to hold Bruce back. It can especially resonate with not on the friends and family of not only addicts, but those of anyone desperately trying to stop their dear ones from committing mistakes that would ruin their lives.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_176.jpg]]

Many agree that this is Pixar's first film that runs on underlining, tear-jerking themes, with ''WesternAnimation/WallE'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}'', and ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'' following suit.

* The moment when [[spoiler:Nemo tells Marlin, "I love you, daddy" and Marlin says, "I love you too, son"]].
* The completely heartwrenching moment when [[spoiler:Marlin sees Nemo pretending to be dead in the plastic bag and, believing his son to really be dead, gives up and leaves in defeat.]] Dory's reaction as well:
--->[[spoiler:'''Dory''': Oh my goodness...]]
** The reactions of the Tank Gang are roughly around the same, even if it's brief. Gill's voice and expression when he cries out to the [[spoiler:apparently dead Nemo]] clearly show only one emotion: ''absolute horror''.

** For that matter, when [[spoiler:Nigel returns Marlin and Dory to the ocean. He was so eager to help Marlin reunite with his son, and then all he can do is apologize.]]
*** [[FridgeHorror Even worse, neither the film nor the sequel ever actually states if he found out Nemo and Marlin were reunited.]] He may have to live with that burden his whole life, completely unaware that things really did turn out for the better. However, it's actually very possible, if not probable, that the tank gang later informed him that Nemo is alive and made it to the ocean.

--->"I don't know where I am! I think I lost somebody, but I – I can't remember!"

* Any time the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmQo6DJHK1o this]] theme starts playing, [[spoiler:(the beginning right before the opening credits, when Marlin or Nemo contemplates how to solve the main conflict, the scene where Nemo first hears about his dad's daring adventure to rescue him, and the very end)]].

* "Keep swimming! Keep swimming!" United forces and sheer will conquer life's dangers — and [[DarkReprise suddenly Dory's goofy little song means everything in the world.]] For context, a school of fish, and Dory, are stuck in a fishing net and have to swim down. All of them are chanting, "Keep swimming!", except for Dory who [[LyricalDissonance keeps singing her little song]].

* Some FridgeHorror here: When the duo meets Bruce, Dory just swims up to him and says hi. To a giant white shark! She's even willing to join him for a "party." She's lucky he was friendly, and given her personality, one may wonder how she survived that long, especially considering how many creatures she's clearly talked to throughout her life while [[spoiler: trying to find her parents]].

** The worst part is [[DarkIsNotEvil it's not even his own fault]]. He's merely a victim of an addiction he's worked so hard to overcome. This can be specially depressing for viewers who are recovering addicts themselves. Don't even get me started on how addiction can ruin one's relationships, [[spoiler: though, luckily, the end of the movie shows us this isn't the case here]].

* "I have to tell him [[PunctuatedPounding how... old... sea... turtles... are!]]" This might come across as Narm at first but it's pretty sad at second glance, knowing that Marlin values this trivial little conversation he had with his son earlier, enough to express anguish about it, shows just how badly he wants to reunite with Nemo.

* "I have to tell him [[PunctuatedPounding how... old... sea... turtles... are!]]" This might come across as [[Narm]] at first but it's pretty sad at second glance, knowing that Marlin values this trivial little conversation he had with his son earlier, enough to express anguish about it, shows just how badly he wants to reunite with Nemo.

* "I have to tell him [[PunctuatedPounding how — old — sea — turtles — are]]...!" The fact that Marlin values this trivial little conversation he had with his son earlier, enough to express anguish about it, shows just how badly he wants to reunite with Nemo.

'''Nemo''': (TranquilFury) "I hate you..."\\
(''Marlin's rage gives way to devastation.'')
** The entire rest of the movie is hinged on Marlin not wanting the last thing his son says to him to be "I hate you."

Many agree that this is Pixar's first film that runs on underlining, tear-jerking themes, with ''WALL-E'', ''Up'', and ''Coco'' following suit.

* This is one of those films with undertones that the parents will understand just a little bit better than the kids.

* "It's okay, Daddy's here, Daddy's got you."
* The moment when [[spoiler:Nemo tells Marlin "I love you, daddy" and Marlin says "I love you too, son"]].

--> '''Gill''': ''SHARKBAIT!!''

*** [[FridgeHorror Even worse, neither the film nor the sequel ever actually states if he found out Nemo and Marlin were reunited.]] He may have to live with that burden his whole life, completely unaware that things really did turn out for the better.
*** However, it's actually very possible, if not probable, that the tank gang later informed him that Nemo is alive and made it to the ocean.
* "I have to tell him how — old — sea — turtles — are...!" The fact that Marlin values this trivial little conversation he had with his son earlier, enough to express anguish about it, shows just how badly he wants to reunite with Nemo.

** You can tell by the cadence of her voice that she simply yells "Stop!" instead of calling out Marlin's name because she ''doesn't know it,'' implying either that she's already forgotten it or Marlin didn't care enough to tell her.

** Her whole plea makes it clear that she doesn't simply enjoy Marlin's company, rather he's the only one who helps her have a basic understanding of where she is and what's going on, and she knows that if he leaves her, that's going to stop in an instant. You can ''physically feel'' the thoughts slipping through her fingers the more and more she struggles to articulate, and the more emotional becomes due to her frustration.

** On a prior scene before they meet the school of moonfish, while less dramatic than the scene described above, Dory is absolutely heartbroken and cries when Marlin tells her that he wants to continue the journey without her, under the assumption that Marlin dislikes her.

* The best testament to this film's ability to make you cry is that the first tearjerking moment comes ''before the opening credits'', thanks to some amazing voice acting by Albert Brooks:
-->'''Marlin''': I swear, I will ''never'' let ''anything'' happen to you... Nemo.
** It gets worse when Marlin and Dory are in the whale's mouth, with Marlin finally realizing how overprotective and limiting he sounds. Some paraphrasing here.

* "Keep swimming! Keep swimming!" United forces and sheer will conquer life's dangers — and [[DarkReprise suddenly Dory's goofy little song means everything in the world.]]

* Although Marlin is the undisputed master of the AdultFear trope, Gill has his moments. Watching the clear desperation on his face as he watched Nemo be scooped out of the tank was enough to rival any parent. (He calls him by his real name which he only does a few times throughout the whole movie when he promises him that he's not gonna go belly up.)
* "Dad? ...I don't hate you."

* Some FridgeHorror here: When the duo meets Bruce, Dory just swims up to him and says hi. To a giant white shark! She's even willing to join him for a "party." She's lucky he was friendly, and given her personality, one may wonder how she survived that long, espicially considering how many creatures she's clearly talked to throughout her life while [[spoiler: trying to find her parents]].

-->"You think you can do these things, but you just CAN'T, Nemo!"
** The entire rest of the movie is hinged on Marlin not wanting Nemo's TranquilFury response to be the very last thing he says to him.
-->"I hate you."

Many agree that this is Pixar's first film that runs on underlining, tear-jerking themes, with ''WALL-E'' and ''Up'' following suit.

* "I have to tell him how — old — sea — turtles — are...!", although that one can come across as narm.
** That part? Very narmy. The agonised, despaired sobs right after? ''Not narmy at all.''
** ''"I promised I'd never let anything happen to him."''

** The reason Nemo has an underdeveloped and shriveled fin is because his egg was damaged in the barracuda attack (see the page image). So translating that to human terms, imagine that you're a father whose wife was killed brutally while you were powerless to do anything about it, and the killer also took all of your children, except for one boy, who is now ''permanently disabled''. It is no wonder Marlin is such a nervous wreck for the first 20 minutes of the film.
* The fact that the entire plot is hinged on Marlin not wanting the last thing his son says to him to be "I hate you."
** You know the really sad thing about this? Marlin showed up just when Nemo was about to honor his wishes and not follow his friends out into the open water. But Marlin's paranoia and anger overtakes his rationale and he not only embarrasses Nemo in front of his new friends, he ''all but outright '''insults''''' him. "You think you can do these things, but you just CAN'T, Nemo!" That's what sends Nemo to deliberately disobey and touch the boat. He was about to honor his father's wishes and he got chewed out for it. He's convinced that his father doesn't respect his position and Nemo just doesn't care about his approval anymore.

** Think about the above speech a little harder and it becomes positively gut-wrenching. Dory is completely aware of how unusually well her memory cooperates when she's around Marlin — not just having friends or nice experiences, but having basic understanding of where she is and what's going on. She also knows that if he leaves, that'll all fall apart, and she's ''trying to tell him so'': "If you leave... I just, I remember things better with you!" But because Marlin is so completely empty at this point and Dory is half panicking, she can't make herself understood, and Marlin simply leaves without realizing or even caring what it will do to her. She wasn't just saying she cared about Marlin, she was ''begging not to be stranded on the other side of the world''. And it didn't work.

** ...which then turns into both a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and a CrowningMomentOfAwesome as it spreads throughout the ocean.

** Ditto for Anchor and Chum, as they desperately try to hold Bruce back. It can especially resonate with not on the friends and family of not only addicts, but those of anyone desperately trying to stop their dear ones from committing mistakes hat would ruin their lives

* ...which then turns into both a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and a CrowningMomentOfAwesome as it spreads throughout the ocean.