Oftentimes, people overlook the small gems that surface in film festivals like the Sundance Film Festival or the Cannes' Film Festival. They're content with watching mainstream and Hollywood-produced films, that frankly end up sucking, but, for some reason, can't seem to give smaller films such as Mary and Max a chance. Whether this is due to the common misconception that independent films are "overly artsy" or because the mainstream film industry is more accessible, films like Mary and Max go unheard of. Meanwhile, trashy flicks likes Transformers 2 and Twilight are making millions of dollars despite their very low quality. It's just a shame, as filmmakers like Adam Elliot (Harvie Krumpet, Mary and Max) have more talent than half of the mainstream industry. Regardless, though, Mary and Max proves to be a touching and darkly comedic film.
The film stars the titular Mary and Max, one of whom is a lonely eight-year-old girl in Australia and the other an atheistic Jew from New York with Asperger's, as they form a friendship as pen pals. After many more letters, and plenty of strange conversations, the two develop a very close friendship and prove to be the only friends they have in the world. The rest of the film follows the duo as their friendship soars and wanes over the next twenty-two years.
The film's great in terms of characterization. The characters are well-written, lovable, and genuinely interesting. Max, for instance, is just as hilarious as he is pitiful. I felt a deep sense of sadness for his situation but, at the same time, enjoyed his hilarious dialogue and sense of unintentional humor. He was just such a great character and Phillip Seymour Hoffman gave a fantastic performance to compliment Max's character. Mary was also a naive, yet charming, little girl and I really felt her presence in the film as well. She's just as well-written and depressed, yet hopeful, as Max is.These two characters interact with each other lovingly in a way that's very human, very real, and very heart-felt.
The claymation of the film is simply splendid. It gives the film a nice look and the lighting used in the film, from the artificial light of Australia to the darkly-lit streets of New York, provides just as much symbolism as it does atmosphere. Loneliness is a key theme to the film, and it can be felt through the film's visuals. The dilapidated and black look of New York, for example, shows the coldness and sadness inhabited by Max's world. It isn't actually until Mary sends him a gift, a rubber ball, that some color shows up in his world. It's well-animated, framed, edited, and is pure eye-candy.
Also, I'm not usually a big fan of narration, but the narrator in this film (Barry Humphries) was just superb. Not only did he deliver his lines with a strong sense of meaning and storytelling, but it furthered the feel of a nighttime story that the film has. It's somewhat tragic, somewhat poetic, and somewhat fairy tale-like. All in all, though, it's a film that has a big heart and a love for lonely people.
If I did have a problem with the film, though, it lies in the some of the more unbelievable aspects of the story. I don't believe, for example, that Mary would've continued writing Max after an eight-month hiatus. Not only that, but some of the plot events felt like unneeded reasons to create drama or tension in a narrative that really didn't need it. The film's about Mary and Max - that's it. I don't think the asylum sequences or the hiatus were really that necessary, as they really seemed to drag out during the film's narrative. Regardless, it's not a huge flaw.
It may not be perfect, but it doesn't need to be. Mary and Max is a sweet, smart, and very emotional film. Sometimes the plot seems to take precedence because it feels like "nothing's happening" - which isn't a bad thing - but the characters are truly the focus. With a witty sense of black humor and wonderful visuals, the film's a treat in all aspects.
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