For animation fans, Memoir of a Snail should be treated like an event. Australian animator Adam Elliot hasn’t done much, but what he has done has been widely acclaimed, and this also his first animation in 9 years as well as the follow-up to his 2009 feature debut Mary and Max. Keeping with his themes of social outcasts and autobiography, and featuring his signature mix of often blunt darkness with an endearingly offbeat sense of humor and art style, it thankfully lives up to the hype. While I don’t think it’s on par with his first feature, it more than avoids a sophomore slump. The film is narrated by Grace, a hoarder recounting her life story. As a child, she’s bullied for her appearance and enjoys collecting snails. Her only comfort is the bond she shares with her twin brother Gilbert, as well as her paraplegic father Percy, a former juggler and animator. When tragedy strikes, the two twins are separated. As Grace adjusts to her new life, she befriends an eccentric elderly woman named Pinky who always manages to find silver linings despite some unfortunate circumstances.
First thing’s first: if you haven’t seen an Adam Elliot animation before, be prepared. His stories are often unflinchingly bleak and deal with subjects like mental illness/disorders, marginalized people, and occasionally taboo subject matter. The fact that they’re always in some way shape or form autobiographical adds to their power. Even still, this is definitely one of the darker productions I’ve seen from him overall, though I don’t want to get into too much detail for the purpose of avoiding spoilers. Yet, like his other films, it’s also hilarious. Elliot has a gift for mixing bleakness with a humor style that’s eccentric, quirky, and absurd, and the tonal balance actually works really well.
Memoir of a Snail is rendered in Elliot’s trademark offbeat stop-motion style, which favors imperfect edges and shapes, and I still find it charming and unique. It’s sort of like watching an alternative comic come to life in three dimensions. In an age of CGI, it’s rare to see a movie where everything is lovingly hand-crafted. The voice acting is superb, with Jackie Weaver’s Pinky being a highlight. As Grace, Sarah Snook (Succession) nails the part, bringing the emotional weight of the character through her voice work. (For fans of Nick Cave, he also has a role.) As for any issues I had, there were parts of the story I definitely saw coming, and the ending I felt could’ve been handled a tad better, but I felt those were minor relative to the film overall.
Anyone who has ever felt detached from those around them will likely be put through the emotional wringer by the end of Memoir of a Snail, and while Elliot’s prior work has gotten accolades, it’s only recently that I believe adult animation has really caught up with what he’s doing. Hopefully, this will get the recognition I think it deserves, because it’s one of the year’s best animated films and a perfect example of how animation for adults can be both for mature audiences only and mature, as opposed to just the former.
Leave A Reply