Life moves fast, but no matter the velocity that things come at us, we’ll always find time for Jenny Slate. The US comedienne surfaced in sitcom Parks and Recreation, but The Obvious Child, Gifted and Everything, Everywhere All At Once provided the showcases for her talents that her misbegotten fifth-banana role in the first Venom film assuredly did not. As well as voicing the titular protagonist in ex-husband Dean Fleischer Camp’s film, Slate co-wrote the screenplay, and fans of her offbeat, personal comedy will find plenty to enjoy in this crazy, yet enjoyably daft little film, deservedly winning awards traction right now.
In the style of Aardman’s beloved Creature Comforts, Marcel the movie sees a documentary crew interviewing Marcel, a mollusc who lives with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rosselini) and rolls around in a tennis ball that helps him around his domain. Much as the YouTube clips of Marcel that hit big between 2010 and 2014 led to directly the making of this film, Marcel takes off on the socials, going viral online, inadvertently shining a light on the hidden parts of Marcel’s life. Can Marcel negotiate stardom and find true happiness?
Shot in Academy ratio (1.33-1), Marcel the Shell with Shoes on isn’t really for kids; it’s never as sentimental as a Disney or a Pixar movie, but moves with a sweet energy of its own. Marcel and Connie are happy enough, but they’re also separated from their community, and Camp’s dialogues with Marcel reveal a lot about our need for safety and our reluctance to rock the boat and take risks, risks that are required to bring us all out of our shells. There’s a certain post-lockdown sense spoken here that’s always positive and affirming, even when dealing with Connie’s onset of dementia; it might look like a kids film, but there’s plenty of food for thoughts for adults, and that food isn’t escargot.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On has been popular with audiences and critics, and is one of these little movies that deserve the platform that awards season brings; it’s as unassuming and uncalculated as its tiny protagonist, but has a big, identifiable message that pretty much everyone can relate to. If you only see one film about a mollusc this year, Marcel The Shell With Shoes on is the only show in town when it comes to snail tales.
Never heard of star or film. Not sure it’s for me.
I think you can give this a miss.
“You’re crying?” “I’m not crying. You’re crying!” “I’m not crying!” I don’t have the emotional bandwidth to take on Marcel. I knew that after I saw the trailer. I’m good.
Best make your excuses and leave then, these things can be traumatic…
Oh yippee I’ve waited all my life for ta movie about a mollusc. Not. That twee little voice is grating. Is that Phil Collins doing the soundtrack?
Nope and Crope.
Yes that’s what I thought when I watched the trailer.
Off subject (but when am I ever on topic anyway?), what ever happened to your No Award series of reviews? Are they a done deal?
As for this, I’m not sure what it would take for me to watch it. Marcelle has some stiff competition in Sponge Bob if he ever went on prime, so there’d have to be some sort of “something more”…
No, the no awards will continue, just need to write up some of the lousy movies I watch…
Thank goodness! I thought for a second maybe you were going to move to Pollyannaland and leave us all behind…
Nope. Never tire of smashing other people’s art.
My arms get tired though. Even aluminum baseball bats gets heavy after enough time…
Nice try with the review, but that trailer has me thinking I wouldn’t watch three minutes of this if I was in a hospital bed and that was what the channel was stuck on and I couldn’t reach the remote. I’d tear out my IVs with my teeth and crawl for the door.
Is no The Munsters, I’ll give you that sunshine. What is your problem with Marcel?
I guess I’ll just go with everything.
When are you going to review the Emily Bronte movie?
When I finish re reading Vilette. I’m all about da Brontes.