Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Movie Review

"Slate is marvelous, giving Marcel a true sense of innocence, wonder, confidence, and infinite adorability." -Brandon Vick

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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On quietly sneaks up on you with its delicate emotion and endearment that comes from the most unlikely subject imaginable: A pocket-sized stop-motion shell with a googly eye, a mouth, and polished pink shoes. Writer/director Dean Fleischer-Camp and co-writer/star Jenny Slate first introduced Marcel in a short film back in 2010, followed by a couple of sequels. And now as a feature-length film in the form of an imaginative faux documentary – there’s no better time spent than submerged in its unbridled charm and graciousness. A total pleasure to watch.

Previously a part of a sprawling group of shells, it’s now just Marcel (Slate) and his grandmother Nana Connie (Isabella Rossellini) living in an Airbnb where they have managed to make it as cozy as one could without getting seen by the many visitors passing through. It’s a bit of a mystery where their family has disappeared to. One minute they’re in the sock drawer and the next they’re not. But with the help of a documentary filmmaker named Dean (Fleischer-Camp), Marcel might have a chance of reuniting with them.

Dean starts sharing video shorts of Marcel online, resulting in him becoming an internet sensation. With millions of views comes fervid fans, and they’re not really helping in locating Marcel’s long-lost family. Instead, they inadvertently put Marcel and his grandmother in harm’s way. Unsure of how to move forward in their search, an unexpected though super exciting email gives Marcel and Nana Connie one last hope. Them appearing on their favorite show, 60 Minutes, and to sit across from their dearest interviewer, Lesley Stahl, would be a dream come true for a couple of mollusks missing the community they cherish.

This hybrid of stop-motion animation and live action is a sweet, gentle, and adorable little gem with a big heart and sensational humor. Voicing the titled character – Slate is marvelous, giving Marcel a true sense of innocence, wonder, confidence, and infinite adorability. A24 going PG sounds crazy, but it makes absolute sense after seeing Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. It’s a beautifully poignant look at life and the changes that scare us, but we must choose to see what’s waiting on the other side. Through Marcel, Nana Connie, and even Dean, we are rewarded with a heartfelt journey of love and that irreplaceable connection we live for.

Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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