* The Mafia thing really does put emphasis on the family bonds that the Mafia liked to display when they wanted the public to forget about all the MobWar and killing they did. And it's still about family, which is why it can remind you of ''Film/TheGodfather''. Don Lino positively ''adores'' both of his sons equally, even if one of them is a little embarrassing. Even when Lenny 'comes out', he blames Oscar, not him. In his first scene, he claims that he 'lived [his] life for [his] sons' and that was the ''truth''; Lino's entire arc revolves around his family. Even when he's pushing Lenny to become a more 'typical' shark, he's doing it because he [[KnightTemplarParent thinks it's what's best]] -- and considering Lino's raising his sons to take over a ''criminal empire'', you can kind of see his logic there.
* You do get that Frankie and Lenny are brothers and they love each other, even if they are different. Though Frankie obviously thinks with his brawn and his stomach, he [[HiddenDepths does seem to realize]] (before his father) that Lenny doesn't want to run the Reef and tells his father he can handle it, but that's not to steal it from Lenny. Lenny already doesn't want to and Frankie was trying to take it off his shoulders.
* Ernie and Bernie initially do Sykes’ dirty work in torturing Oscar for not paying his debts. After he becomes known as the “Shark Slayer”, they immediately start treating him much nicer and act as his biggest fans. Even after he confessed to the lie, they still idolize him.
* Lenny didn't want to tell Oscar his secret (that he is a vegetarian shark) because he thought he'd laugh at him, but Oscar promises not to so Lenny tells him. Lenny braces for the laugh, but in a rare and heartwarming [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] Oscar actually keeps his promise and doesn't laugh--even if he has to stifle it at first and take a moment to calm himself. Oscar then goes on to say that he wishes all sharks were like Lenny and that it's his fault, not Lenny's, that Frankie died.
* After telling Oscar to leave, Angie starts to cry. Lenny gives her a hug, telling her things will be okay.
* "I love you, son, no matter what you eat or how you dress." Hugs all around!
** So for kids who don't get the metaphor for gay, there's a metaphor for cross-dressing, which is a more common joke in kids' films.
* Followed by Oscar and Angie reconciling.
-->'''Angie:''' Oscar? \\
'''Oscar:''' Angie? Oh, Angie. I wish I knew now what I knew then. I mean...I wish you knew...what I knew...before this--\\
'''Crazy Joe:''' '''YOU'RE BLOWIN' IT, MAN!'''\\
'''Oscar:''' Mind your business, aight?! It's emotional...and it's pressure! (''turns back to Angie'') What I'm sayin' is...I didn't need the Top of the Reef. Everything I ever wanted...was right in front of me the whole time.\\
'''Angie:''' But what about being a somebody?\\
'''Oscar:''' I'm a nobody without you.\\
(''Angie smiles. Crazy Joe pulls out his puppets making kissing noises'')\\
'''Oscar:''' Not helping! [''chuckles'']\\
'''Angie:''' Oh. Come here, you big dumb, dummy head! (''[[TheBigDamnKiss kisses Oscar]]'')
* Even while Oscar was living his lie, we get this:
-->'''Oscar:''' You know, Ang... Where I am now, this whole new life I got, and all my dreams coming true... In a weird kinda way, I never could have done it without you.\\
'''Angie:''' Oh, sure you could. [[ByNoIMeanYes Well, probably not]].
* The moment where Lenny reveals himself during the sit-down, Lino calls him out, believing he'd turned on him and joined Oscar. Oscar stands up for Lenny for it.
** And even calls him out for being different from his family after the climax.
--->'''Oscar:''' ''What is your problem?!'' So your son likes kelp, so his best friend is a fish, so he likes to dress like a dolphin! ''So what''?! Everybody loves him just the way he is. [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Why can't you?]] (''Lino [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone gets a look of pure guilt and remorse]]'') Don't make the same mistake that I did. I didn't know what I had until I lost it.
* In a film that doesn't have that many healthy relationships, it is nice to see that Oscar and Lenny have such a genuine, loyal, and supportive friendship where Lenny will takes great chances to help Oscar and Oscar will be the one to convince Lenny's father, Don Lino, to accept him for who he is.
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