Mary and Max

Mary and Max is a film about two very different people who communicate only through their letters to each other. Mary is an 8 year old girl living in Australia, whilst Max is a 44 year old man living in New York. Both have trouble fitting in and feel lost in the world. Their friendship is followed throughout the film and is an emotional journey to say the least.

I began watching this film with almost no prior knowledge of its narrative, only that it was a clay animation which followed the lives of two characters that wrote each other letters. This made the film even more surprising to me as I was totally caught off guide and found the film to be absolutely magnificent.

The audience is taken on roughly a 20 year journey of Mary and Max's relationship with each other that includes several serious themes such as; alcoholism, depression, religion, and obesity. Kids may find this film visually appealing due to its attractive art style however I really feel that it is aimed at a prodominately adult audience because of the overriding themes I have just mentioned.

This film is jut a sublime experience in every area; the animated art style is beautiful using colour scarcely in a way that to me made the look of the film even more memorable. The sound is also a delight using Penguin Cafe Orchestra's 'Perpetuum Mobile' as it's theme music which just added to the emotional power of the film. The quality of the characters was equally impressive, the voice work was brilliant and I don't think I've seen better; excluding Pixar's best work.

What I enjoyed most was the film's simplicity. The directors ability to make a simple interaction between two people so immersive and engaging was extremely pleasing and something that I wish was easier to find in contemporary cinema. Individuality and friendship are the qualities celebrated by the film, the real message I took was to not be ashamed of who you are and always try to put things in perspective; as well as trying to enjoy the little things in life.

Mary and Max is a diamond in a mountain of garbage that Hollywood is currently dumping onto the mainstream cinema-goer; you are missing an exceptional movie if you are to ignore it: See this film.