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Poster for Free Willy

Free Willy

Seen it?

1993 | 112 min | Family, Adventure, Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (71% on Rotten Tomatoes), it made about 8 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for adventure fans and families. If you loved Finding Nemo, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Feel-good.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 52 min.
What might put you off
Rated PG: a parent's death or loss. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.

When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca whale who has been separated from his family. Sensing kinship, they form a bond and, with the help of kindly whale trainer Rae Lindley, develop a routine of tricks. However, greedy park owner Dial soon catches wind of the duo and makes plans to profit from them.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.2 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    7 wins and 4 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $154 million worldwide on a $20 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 331K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Simon Wincer

  • Jason James RichterJesse
  • KeikoWilly
  • Lori PettyRae Lindley
  • August SchellenbergRandolph Johnson
  • Michael MadsenGlen Greenwood
  • Jayne AtkinsonAnnie Greenwood
  • Michael IronsideDial
  • Richard RiehleWade
  • Mykelti WilliamsonDwight Mercer
  • Michael BacallPerry