Mary and Max is a heartwarming and tragicomic stop-motion masterpiece that brings an unusual friendship to life with dark humor and touching honesty. Featuring the incomparable Philip Seymour Hoffman and the fantastic Toni Collette in the lead roles, the film marked a major breakthrough for Adam Elliot, the acclaimed creator of the enchanting Memoir of a Snail.
Eight-year-old Mary Dinkle grows up in a dreary suburb of Melbourne, Australia, and life isn’t easy for her. Her parents ignore her, and at school she’s bullied because of the chestnut-colored birthmark on her forehead. One day, out of sheer curiosity, she picks a name at random from an American phone book and writes a letter to Max Horovitz — an overweight, 44-year-old Jewish man with Asperger’s living in chaotic New York City. What begins as an innocent exchange of letters blossoms into an intense, decades-long friendship between two outsiders who understand each other better than anyone else ever could. Max, who struggles with social interactions and the unpredictable world around him, finds in Mary someone who accepts him just as he is. His letters are filled with dry wit, existential questions, and quirky observations — like why people have a favorite ice cream flavor and how the world would function without lies.
As the years go by and Mary grows into adulthood, trying to find herself, their relationship shifts. Misunderstandings and disappointments arise, but an invisible bond always remains between them. With its unique stop-motion style, melancholic soundtrack, and blend of absurdity and genuine emotion, Mary and Max is a timeless tale of friendship, loneliness, and acceptance. It’s no surprise that the film has become a beloved favorite among cinephiles worldwide.