Mary and Max. (Australia 2009) ***** One of the Best
Directed by Adam Elliot

When stop-motion claymation is used to tell the most moving of stories, and a true one at that, the result is not only one of the most marvellous surprises but one of the best films of the year.

Spanning two continents (North America and Australia) and decades (Mary is at first eight and Max in his forties) apart, MARY AND MAX is the story of two pen pals who share one common factor.  Both are lonely souls who yearn oodles of friends.  Mary is a chubby girl with eyes the colour of mud puddles and a birthmark on her forehead the colour of poo.  So the narrator (Barry Humphries) describes.  Max has the Aspers Syndrome which prevents him from making any friends.  Worst still, he is a 350 lbs (Jewish) man who attends Overeaters Anonymous.  But who can dislike the two main characters if their favourite foods are sweetened condensed milk (Mary’s) chocolate hot dogs (Max’s)?

As the years go by, so do the characters age as well mature.  Mary (Toni Collette) marries her stuttering Greek neighbour (Eric Bana) while Max’s (Philip Seymour Hoffman) illness grows worse.  Max is unable to respond to Mary’s letters due to his ailment as Mary embarks on a medical course to study her friend’s demise.  Elliot’s film grows darker and more serious though the humour is still around.

Music is used sparingly and thus very effective.  Elliot initially uses music whenever the two friends write – be it when Max first uses the typewriter or when Mary receives his letter.  Though the story is true, Elliot uses his artistic liberties to entertain with quirky characters like Ethel the rooster (Mary’s pet) or the amputated war veteran neighbour who suffers from acrophobia.

Elliot has made the most charming, moving and entertaining animated feature about the darkest of creatures – the human being.  MARY AND MAX brings together two people so different together as the film ties in art and entertainment, animation and emotions.  Ellitot’s meticulous efforts (film is reported 5 years in the making) well pays off.