Mary and Max (2009)

When I started watching “Mary and Max”, I had no idea that I would enjoy it so much. I went in expecting a pretentious film that was more focused on ostentatious cinematography than telling a compelling story and that could only be enjoyed by hard-core indie fans in a film festival setting.

Thankfully, “Mary and Max” is so much more than a flimsy plot tied together by modern social issues and artsy animation. This is a truly captivating movie, featuring fantastic characters, a moving story and hilarious dark comedy. It explores the deep themes of friendship, mental health and the challenges of ordinary life, whilst incorporating a unique animation style to make the ordinary narrative feel more fantastical. As “Mary and Max” was only given a limited worldwide release, a lot of people (including myself) missed it originally, so I would absolutely recommend seeking it out now!

I was quite shocked when I came to the realisation that “Mary and Max” isn’t a kid’s film, the humour is jet-black, the complex characters are flawed and the world they inhabit is a bleak, complicated place. As I went into the film with next to no knowledge of it (not even the age rating) it was quite a surprise when the first of the hysterically dark lines of dialogue appeared. Despite this, the movie never becomes too miserable, the protagonists are so likable and the moments of friendship between them are so sweet that this is still a very entertaining watch, even if there are several scenes of moving melodrama.

Although it’s a film that packs a pretty hefty emotional punch, it’s worth noting that “Mary and Max” is an incredibly funny movie. It’s fair to say that the humour is quite similar to the likes of “Wallace and Gromit”, as the movie takes place in a heightened reality and employs a lot of visual gags to tell its story, but there are also distinct differences between the two. For one thing, the jokes in “Mary and Max” are much edgier than anything you’d find in “Shaun the Sheep”, they brilliantly establish who the characters are and why the audience should care about them, whilst never demeaning them or undermining their struggles.

The cast are a primary reason why the tone of “Mary and Max” is so well-balanced, they sell every deadpan delivery and heart-warming monologue effortlessly well, so that you’re immediately invested in the relationships between the character. All of the cast members are exceptional (a particular highlight being Barry Humphries as the narrator), but the most noteworthy actors are those who play the titular characters.

Toni Collette and Bethany Whitmore are both splendid as Mary Daisy Dinkle. Whitmore effectively sells the naivety of Mary as a child, whilst Collette wonderfully balances the innocence of Mary’s younger self and the depressed, world-weary adult Mary.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is terrific as Max Jerry Horovitz. It must have been an arduous task trying to make Max an amusing protagonist without creating an offensive stereotype of people with Asperger's Syndrome but Hoffman did a great job. Max is a loveable, nuanced character, whose worldview and experiences are all very well defined throughout the runtime of the film.

It goes without saying that the animation in “Mary and Max” is astonishing. The visual contrast between suburban Australia and New York City is executed flawlessly, the characters are extremely stylised without being unsettling to look at and the vibrant environments feel authentic.

In summary, “Mary and Max” is a tremendous film. It’s witty, intelligent and engrossing, housing some excellent vocal performances and superbly surreal animation. This might not be ideal viewing for younger children, but “Mary and Max” is essential viewing for an older audience!