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Middleburg Review: “Memoir of a Snail”

Written by: Christopher Llewellyn Reed | October 21st, 2024

Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot, 2024) 4½ out of 5 stars

Animation comes in as great a variety as any other storytelling format. It is not strictly for children, nor has it ever been. Even the first Walt Disney short to star Mickey Mouse, “Steamboat Willie,” features content that veers towards the mean-spirited and away from family-friendly fare. Irrespective of primary intended audience, the best animated films speak universal truths that can engage a wide range of spectators.

One thing is certain, however, which is that Memoir of a Snail, from Australian director Adam Elliot (Mary and Max), is a work of deep complexity that is clearly intended for a mature audience (though kids play a central role in the narrative). Its stop-motion images are the result of years of painstaking labor, resulting in a visually stunning movie filled with flights of fancy both heavy and light. It is sui generis, start to finish, and a gripping watch.

Grace (Sarah Snook) in MEMOIR OF A SNAIL ©IFC Films

Sarah Snook (Pieces of a Woman) voices lead character Grace Pudel, who narrates the tale as a twentysomething-ish adult. Born a fraternal twin, she grows up close to her brother, Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog), but without a mother, who died giving birth to them both. Their father, an alcoholic former street artist who is now a paraplegic, does his best to provide joy to the eccentric children in his care, but when his time comes to cross over into the next life, sister and brother are separated and sent to opposite sides of the Australian continent, Grace to Canberra and Gilbert to Perth.

We cut back and forth between Grace in the here and now and her life post-adoption, occasionally jumping to Gilbert to see how he fares. Though Grace’s foster parents are not the best match, they are kind, which is more than one can say for the ultra-religious fanatics with whom Gilbert ends up. Still, both kids struggle in their new environments.

Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee) in MEMOIR OF A SNAIL ©IFC Films

Which makes for an often-sad flow of events, though with moments of humor to break up the misery. Grace takes refuge in her obsession with snails, and in fact is recounting her past to one gastropod whom she has just see free. The occasion? The death of her beloved Pinky (Jacki Weaver, American Murderer), a free-spirited older woman who took an interest and brought meaning to Grace’s lonely existence. Though she’s gone, Pinky may still have some lessons to impart, ones that might finally help the reclusive hoarder that Grace has become break out of her shell.

Though the subject matter leans heavily towards the bleak, there is great beauty throughout. Grace’s journey may have an ultimate destination that is somewhat familiar (she learns and grows), but the milestones along the way are unique, fascinating in their wonderfully strange details. Laughter surprises us amidst the despair, and then the ending—brisk and unexpected—makes it all worthwhile. The catharsis is welcome, and every emotion is earned. The shell is broken in the best possible way.

Pinky (Jacki Weaver) in MEMOIR OF A SNAIL ©IFC Films
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Christopher Llewellyn Reed is a film critic, filmmaker, and educator, as well as Film Festival Today's Editor. A member of both the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, Chris is, in addition, lead film critic at Hammer to Nail and the author of Film Editing: Theory and Practice.

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