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Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana, Bethany Whitmore ... see more see more... , Renee Geyer , Ian "Molly" Meldrum , John Flaus , Julie Forsyth

Academy Award-winning Harvie Krumpet director Adam Elliot returns to the world of clay animation with this simple tale of the innocent correspondence between a portly eight year old girl from the subu... read more read more...rbs of Melbourne and a morbidly obese, middle-aged Jewish New Yorker suffering from Asperger's Syndrome. On the surface it would seem that Mary (Toni Collette) and Max (Philip Seymour Hoffman) would have little in common, but over the course of twenty years, the unlikely pen pals exchange letters discussing everything from taxidermy, trust, pets, religion, obesity, autism, agoraphobia, alcoholism, and just about any other topic that comes to mind as they sit down and put pen to paper. Barry Humphries and Eric Bana provide additional voices. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

90% liked it

19,143 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

54 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Adam Elliot

Release Date: January 15, 2009

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DVD Release Date: June 15, 2010

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Stats: 1,994 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,994)

  • skeletonking101
    May 9, 2012
    skeletonking101
    This is a film that I think its hard to decide what I really think about this movie. I can decide that it is a good film but I can't decide if it was an okay film, a fantastic film, or a just a flat out incredible film. The main reason I can't really decide is that its such a dep... read moreressing and such sad and horrible film. If i could decide on a full rating is that it is a great film and worthy of its rating of 94% its just not a good film for everyone to see especially children.
  • fb1463751009
    May 1, 2012
    fb1463751009
    "Mary and Max". Glanced at the cover and the first thought was, "Hey, looks like a very interesting movie." Wow... interesting indeed. This animated movie ain't for children; this is one dark movie. "Mary and Max" is a very clever, multi-layered philosophical study of two social ... read moreoutcasts. There's hardly any color, and the narrative's usually delivered in first person with heart-warmingly, nimble dialogue between the two lonely stars. You're gonna laugh, you're gonna feel dread, and you're gonna feel happy. Its as immersive as its gonna get for an animated movie, and it's all due to the cohesive delivery -- ingenious direction, out-of-this-world yet familiar style, and the great voice actors are just to name a few of the ensemble achievements "Mary and Max" manages to pull off. It's definitely not for everyone, but it's hardly getting the praise that it deserves.
  • 76Majikat
    April 22, 2012
    76Majikat
    A totally unique and original Animated film. Quite gritty for an animated film, it's tone is quite depressing, but so human in an ironic way. The relationships are captured with a true insight and depth.
  • jennifxu
    February 27, 2012
    jennifxu
    This film is an absolute masterpiece. It's colorful, whimsical, red, depressing, disgusting, gorgeous, hilarious, and illuminating all at once. It doesn't limit itself to merely being an "adult animation" film, which I love. You can tell Elliot was inspired by a bunch of filmmake... read morers (particularly Wes Anderson) but at the same time his style is uniquely his own. There's a release at the end that comes out in a little pop, cathartic and heartwarming. And I don't usually like to praise voice actors, but Philip Seymour Hoffman's New York Jewishness is ON THE MONEY.
  • FrizzDrop
    January 22, 2012
    FrizzDrop
    An intricately poignant claymation film about the friendship between two very unlikely people, Mary and Max pushes the envelope of what claymation can do as an art form while also being quirky, cute, and interestingly dark. This medium has brought us everything from Wallace and G... read moreromit to Gumby, but never has really left the realm of the childlike and vulnerable. This film also starts semi-naive with the fresh faced perspective of Mary, a chubby girl from Australia. Her thoughts are often depressive and yet original, and have the spirit of a child. Friendless and always ignored by her alcoholic mother and patiently apathetic father, she sends off a letter to a stranger in New York to ask her most intriguing questions. Soon a correspondence develops between herself and Max, an obese atheist Asperger's patient. Though both are separated by so much in their lives they still find common ground as both are friendless, lovers of junk food (including sweetened condensed milk) and have childlike sensibilities. Over time this changes, but destruction envelops both of their lives, only having each other to lean on metaphorically. Amazing things keep happening to both, sometimes awful and sometimes amazing and life changing. Though both go through a rollercoaster of emotional distress and loneliness there is hope and advice to be given. Every one of Mary's unfortunate problems is solved by the wizened naivety of Max and in turn Mary constantly helps out her clueless friend, who's disorder keeps him awkward and confused. The film covers the seventies and into the present, always hopeful, eccentric, and downright uplifting. Many of the characters go through their own transformations by association, and we get to see a bevy of different stages in the lives of two certainly different individuals. The care and concern they have for one another though they've never met is something that we don't get to see every day, and though many believe it's sappy and unrealistic, the depths of depression and aloneness are easy to relate to. It's edgy for what it is and tried to accomplish and the message of friendship was one never covered in such an interesting ways. Beautiful, beautiful film.
  • flixsterman
    December 30, 2011
    flixsterman
    Refreshingly dark and edgy.
  • ironclad1609
    September 14, 2011
    ironclad1609
    A funny and sad tale of a pen pal friendship that mixes sweet with bitter and heart-warming with callous humor and still works. It's certainly not for kids, but the quirky animation and the details are fun to watch. Problem is the bleakness of the theme and how many really bad th... read moreings keep happening, so it's really not a happy movie, even if you sometimes hope for it to be. So, being the optimist that I am, it left me oddly unsatisfied, even though I enjoyed many parts of the film for its unusual humor.
  • coollala0910
    April 23, 2011
    coollala0910
    Mary Daisy Dinkle is a chubby, eight-year old girl from Australia who is neglected by her parents and has no friends. She then finds a pen pal named Max Jerry Horovitz who is an atheist, obese, mentally ill, loner living in New York City. For a twenty-year span, the two write let... read moreters and send each other things as they answer each others questions involving the issues in life.

    Of all the themes director Adam Elliot could have gone with for "Mary and Max", he chose life and all the issues that come with it. "Mary and Max" is a extremely unique animated film that treats itself as it was live action. The characters are awesomely designed with realistic issues. When they're stressed, you feel stressed. When they're sad, you feel depressed. Many emotions and sparks fly in the film. I did not cry but I felt that someone has grabbing my heart with a tight grip.

    Its a claymation film with very strong, mature PG-13 themes. The animation was gnarly. Almost every prop in this was designed with clay and I am very proud at the animators. I've mentioned how strong the themes are and the animation and design of the characters don't seem to go along with that. However, the films makes us deal with that. I would've given this film 100% if it was live action but the animation aspect is still quite beautiful. I tend to be put off by narration in films but that is what "Mary and Max" was built upon and Adam Elliot made it tolerable and interesting.

    The voice acting was phenomenal. Whoever voiced Young Mary in the beginning did a fantastic job. Toni Collette was awesome as older Mary. This is the second film I've seen with her, the first being "The Sixth Sense", and my first ever with Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He was excellent as Max added much, much emotion into the terribly troubled character. The narrator, who sounded like Geoffery Rush, was very good. Maybe the best narrator (who is not a chatacter) that I've seen in any film.

    The film has well crafted opening credits that give us an a very good look at part of the film's setting. Once the narration kicks in, it adds very funny lines and unexpected, and some vulgar, humor. Once the character's issues kick in, the movie takes a very different direction to a emotional romp. Elliot knows how to make a scene more intense as it progresses. For example, the acclaimed "Que Sera?" sequence. My. Jaw. Dropped.

    It is no way intended for children and that probably is the best thing about it. "Mary and Max" is a top-notch film that gives us an excellent look at life and its issues. If you are currently down in the dumps, get your butt up and rent this movie. It'll probably make you more depressed but make you appreciate your life more and make you so grateful that you neither Mary nor Max. I wonder if this is really based on a true story as it said at the start of the film. This is a film that is 100% guaranteed to stay in your memory. You need to see this. I urge you to. Big Oscar snub, I'm talking about right here. Well, I gotta go. I need to go watch the latest episode of "The Noblets". Thanks for reading and leave clean comments below.

    "The stars made more sense."
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    March 18, 2011
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    "Mary and Max" is one of the most powerful and heartbreaking animated films I've ever seen. Completely Brilliant.
  • SirPant
    February 18, 2011
    SirPant
    It is rare that a film is both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time, never as true here with Mary & Max. Adam Elliot has excelled himself after the success of Harvey Krumpet - a hard act to follow - and has cemented himself as one of my favourite writer/directors of ... read moreall time (with only two films so far). This is a tale to be cherished, although your enjoyment is based on your outlook on life, are you a half full or half empty person, can you see the silver lining to every cloud, can you see truth beyond the fog of uncertainty? If not, Mary & Max can show you the way, just give them that chance. A new favourite of mine and Adam Elliot is definitely a name to look out for.

View All Mary and Max Reviews

Critic Reviews

Liam Lacey
November 20, 2009
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

The mixture of artistic sophistication and emotional crudeness cancel each other out. Full Review

Peter Howell
November 20, 2009
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

In a perverse and often immature way, it forthrightly deals with mature issues of love, friendship, forgiveness and mental health. It requires a mature audience, but an audience nonetheless. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
September 25, 2009
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Remarkable and poignant... Full Review

Justin Chang
January 16, 2009
Justin Chang, Variety

Clearly a labor of love, but one destined perhaps to be loved by a very select few. Full Review

Mike Edwards
February 1, 2011
Mike Edwards, What Culture

Everyone and everything is bursting with a hyper-real life that is pitched perfectly to the tragi-comic tone of the story. Full Review

Sandie Angulo Chen
December 31, 2010
Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media

Animated indie explores unusual friendship, heavy themes. Full Review

Roz Laws
November 18, 2010
Roz Laws, Birmingham Post

Funny, poignant and moving, this quirky and clever film oozes heart and insights into human nature. Full Review

Alistair Harkness
November 1, 2010
Alistair Harkness, Scotsman

The themes are nicely complemented by Elliot's animation style, which is full of wonky cityscapes and misshapen characters, something that gives this oddball story a lovely, tactile, handcrafted feel. Full Review

Sophie Ivan
October 27, 2010
Sophie Ivan, Film4

Has charm, curiosity and heart in spades. Full Review

Allan Hunter
October 25, 2010
Allan Hunter, Daily Express

An unorthodox but unforgettable valentine to a friendship that blossoms between two lonely people. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Mary Daisy Dinkle (child): He's scared of outside, which is a disease called homophobia.
    • Max Jerry Horowitz: I cannot understand how being honest can be... improper.
    • Max Jerry Horowitz: The reason I forgive you is because you are not perfect. You are imperfect. And so am I. All humans are imperfect. Even the man outside my apartment who litters. When I was young, I wanted to be anybody but myself. Dr. Bernard Hasselhoff said if I was on a desert island, then I would have to get used to my own company. Just me? and the coconuts. He said I would have to accept myself: my warts and all. And that we don?t get to choose our warts. They are a part of us and we have to live with them. We can however, choose our friends. And I am glad I have chosen you. Dr. Bernard Hasselhoff also said that everyone?s lives are like a very long sidewalk. Some are well paved. Others, like mine, have cracks, banana skins and cigarette butts. Your sidewalk is like mine, but probably not as many cracks. Hopefully, one day our sidewalks will meet and we can share a can of condensed milk. You are my best friend. You are my only friend.
    • Vera: Hey fellas have you got room for one more bag? Sure Mrs Dinkle, hop in!
    • Max Jerry Horowitz: When I was young, I invented an invisible friend called Mr Ravioli. My psychiatrist says I don't need him anymore, so he just sits in the corner and reads.
    • Max Jerry Horowitz: Unfortunately, in America, babies are not found in cola cans. I asked my mother when I was four, and she said they came from eggs laid by rabbis. If you aren't Jewish, they're laid by Catholic nuns. If you're an atheist, they' re laid by dirty, lonely prostitutes.
Submit a Fact | View All

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