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Mary and Max
2009 92 min Australia 18+
★8.1
Animation, Comedy, Drama
Director: Adam Elliot
Trailers
Description
A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.
Budget:
$8.24M
Worldwide:
$1.74M
Starring
Toni Collette
Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Actor
Eric Bana
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 2009
— Crystal Bear – Special Mention – Best Feature Film (Generation)
Key opinion
Mary and Max is a deeply moving, unconventional stop-motion film that explores themes of loneliness, mental health, and the beauty of imperfect friendship through a decades-long correspondence. While its bleak tone and aesthetic may not appeal to all, it is widely regarded as a masterpiece for adult audiences who appreciate dark humor and profound emotional resonance.
| Production | The stop-motion animation uses meticulous, textured puppet work that successfully conveys the internal worlds of its deeply flawed characters. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay masterfully balances black humor and irony with brutal emotional honesty, creating a unique, life-affirming narrative. | |
| Emotion | The film delivers a powerful emotional impact, often provoking profound reflection and tears by validating the experiences of social outsiders. | |
| Cinematography | The film's visual aesthetic—characterized by a stark, desaturated color palette with vivid red accents—serves to isolate and focus the narrative's intimacy. | |
| Accessibility | The film is strictly aimed at adults, as the exploration of depression, suicidal ideation, and existential despair makes it unsuitable for children. | |
| Production | Opinions on the visual style are divided; while many find the claymation uniquely beautiful and soulful, some viewers find the character designs unappealing or the aesthetic off-putting. |