Akito HirataReview - Mary and Max
November 7th 2009 16:12
But their friendship is not without issues. Mary is 8 and frank in her writing and the questions she asks of Max. She is bullied at school and is secretly in love with her Mount Waverley neighbour who she wishes to marry. Max suffers from Aspergers Syndrome which makes any form of social interaction difficult. He is overweight and lives on a diet of chocolate hotdogs. Their well meant intentions causes them to drop in and out of communication spanning the years of their friendship but like any strong friendship, the gap never becomes apparent.
I thought the script showed originality and charm despite the seriousness of the subjects tackled such as vanity, bullying, depression and isolation. I would have liked to have seen more dialogue between the characters although felt the narration, voiced by Barry Humphries, was effective in highlighting the finer points of all the characters involved.
The splash of colour featured in the grey and sepia coloured backgrounds was delightful and I applauded the overall theme that it isn't so important what you look like but how you treat others. Slightly twee possibly but this is a film which more young filmgoers should be subjected to, not the crass hollywood style themes incorporating looks and your 15 minutes of fame.
Heartwarming and sad, I watched this with my daughter who kept asking questions throughout. She didn't like the ending which is hardly surprising as she found it heartbreakingly sad. I however thought there is much joy to be found in a friendship which both inspired and created happiness within such two very different individuals.
Cinema Voyage: 4/5
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