The movie I go to when I need a good cry

Rating: 10/10 (15 October 2017)

Don't get me wrong, I avoid tragic movies like the plague. Nothing puts me off more than watching the ills of society in gritty detail on the silver screen. Even so, once I started watching this movie, it pulled me in like a close friend I had known for all my life, and told me to let my tears flow and be content.
It's hard to explain what makes Mary and Max different from other tragedies or tragicomedies. For a start, while it is geared up visually and with a soundtrack guaranteed to generate tears, it does not milk emotions in a cheap way. The narration is delivered in simple factual sentences with some tongue-in-cheek humor. The characters are ALL complex, interesting and very human, and there is no entity that is entirely negative or a source of hate or contention. Instead, the source of the troubles of our protagonists are their own internal struggles as they stumble through life stages, trying to find happiness.
I don't want to spoil what happens, because everyone should see this movie at least once. While the subject matter is definitely for adult audiences, its innocence and good will makes it a very comforting watch.