Wick's Review

Summary - Barely OK 2.0

Mary and Max renders a bone-dry absurdist story in claymation’s grotesquely uncharitable visuals. Unfortunately the story is charitable only to the odd couple of the title: he a middle-aged autistic living in NYC, she a little girl growing up in near abusive squalor in Australia. Pairing a grown man with a prepubescent girl? Mildly creepy – just one of many absurdist ironies strewn through the movie.

Misanthropy cloaked in black humor makes Mary and Max oddly compelling and occasionally amusing, if not especially entertaining. Brilliance does not equal entertainment value.

Acting - OK 2.5

Philip Seymour Hoffman sounds nothing like himself in voicing a middle-aged New Yorker. Impressive.

Film - Barely OK 2.0

Claymation is an acquired taste, in part because it facilitates a grotesque visual depiction of people. Grotesque visuals inspire absurd stories, a dangerous business that can hit the funny bone or cause discomfort. Mary and Max mostly did the latter for this reviewer.

It’s worth noting that the bone dry screenplay and claymation visuals are mostly brilliant, just more mean than meaningful. Hence the low ratings below.

Edge - Tame 1.5

Reality - Supernatural 3.2

Asperger’s syndrome gets charitably explored in Mary and Max, one of the movie’s occasional grace notes. Those affected by this oddness-inducing social interaction disorder may or may not find the movie comforting, given how much other crap it includes.

5 Comments

• BigdaddyDave Apr 10, 2011 5:38PM

  Regarding BigdaddyDave’s Review
  No worries. If we all liked the same movies, there would be no need for movie crticism. I appreciate your honesty.

• Wick Apr 10, 2011 12:20PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  Sorry to harsh the buzz guys, but I couldn’t warm up to this movie.

• izzio Feb 22, 2011 9:22PM

  Regarding BigdaddyDave’s Review
  SOOOO happy you feel the same about this AMAZING movie

• izzio Jul 16, 2010 9:49PM

  Actually you could just watch it on instant play!

• Wick Jul 16, 2010 7:42PM

  Regarding izzio’s Review
  Great pik Iz. I’m gonna put it on my Netflix queue.

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