Very Depressing

Rating: 5/10 (24 December 2013)

Mary and Max – Review (12/24/13) Adam Elliot's 2009 animated film, Mary and Max, is a very unpleasant film. It mixes charming visuals with some of the most depressing characters I've ever seen. Mary and Max succeeds in capturing the feeling of complete hopelessness that its creators probably weren't intending.
First the good. Mary and Max has a very nice visual style. It's toned down coloration and spot on design and animation contribute to a rather evocative atmosphere. Unfortunately it evokes misery. Even the sound is good. On the whole Mary and Max has very good production value which is always nice to see in an animated film. Also there are some very nice images that have quality in themselves such as a frowning fish puffing bubbles on a cigarette beneath the sea. In addition to the visual style and production value Mary and Max maintains an involved, kinetic pacing that if you don't pay too much attention to should keep you entertained somewhat. This was the path I opted for.
Mary and Max is the most depressing film I've ever seen. It's not devastating, just depressing. It's more depressing than Paths of Glory and even The Ascent (both films which are more devastating than depressing). Mary and Max follows two sad and pitiful characters: Max and Mary. Mary is an unexceptional little girl who has uncaring parents, and no friends despite wanting friends more than anything in the world. She spends her days doing pointless things and routinely cries to herself. At one point in her life she has a loving husband and a nice job. It's not long till she trashes her career, resorts to alcoholism, and is left alone when her husband goes to live with his own gay pen pal. Then she almost commits suicide but doesn't. What a triumph. Mary is a pretty unsympathetic character. Why can't she make friends? Why is she so emotionally unstable? Everything about her character bites into me. Max is at least sympathetic because he has Asperger's. However his life is also very depressing. Like Mary, almost the only thing that he wants is a friend. His Asperger's prevents this from being a reality. Other than that he lives a tortured existence. He is looked down upon, horribly overweight with no hope of controlling it, molested by a class- mate, surrounded by stinky, doomed animals, and he lives in the most hellish depiction of New York City. Eventually he dies. The torture of these characters just makes me feel crummy.
Mary and Max knocks you down to your knees and teases you with false hope. The ending is like a worthless consolation prize when you should have won something. Mary and Max is a mediocre film ranging on poor, just because of the way it makes me feel.
18/40