Meet Mary Dinkle, a chubby, lonely, unique 8 year-old girl living in the community suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. With eyes as dark as night and a birthmark the color of poop, Mary lives day to day with little interest in her future or prospect of friends. That is, until an inclination hits the young girl. In an abrupt attempt to meet someone from the United States, Mary sends a letter to Max, a sad, lonely, verging on obese man who resides in the heart of New York. Their pen-pal friendship strengthens quickly, giving each a reason to live on. For twenty years the letter continue to go back and forth, carrying the same emotional baggage that comes with any relationship, sexual or not. Together each becomes what the other is living for, providing them with an escape, a promise of something better.
Told through the visually fascinating though labor induced stop-motion animation, Adam Elliot's Mary and Max is an adult film. It is full of heartache, ridicule and painstaking agony, all of which come together to form a complete, cohesive picture that will be more appreciated than enjoyed.
Opened with a monologue from an unseen narrator, the film quickly shows itself as a humorous, though respectable picture. The jokes are subtle, at times hardly noticed; however, when present, they create a pleasant distraction from an otherwise serious story of longing for one to love. The breaks are needed, and usually come at acceptable intervals, prompting the audience to laugh and keep a light-hearted mood during the course of the film.
Voiced by Toni Collette and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mary and Max are unmistakable characters, relatable in nearly every way as each is searching endlessly for someone, or even something to call their own. Both have unique interests, and neither has found their place in society, making them each the unlikely confidant for the other. While many, if not most animated films hardly give notice to the talent of its voice actors, I can say that with this film, both rose to the occasion, brining their respective roles to the big screen in style and form.
However, in the end, the success of the film is in the work of writer/director Adam Elliot and his pristine visuals and catchy dialogue, for each make the film what it is: a miraculous piece of animated fiction; one that blends the line between make-believe and reality. The task was daunting; yet, with the combined effort of all involved, the film pulls it out amazingly, creating a stellar, strong opening to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
