Enjoy Benjamin P.'s review of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
19Enjoy Benjamin P.'s review of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is a funny, thoughtful, little wonder, just like its lead character. This is a part all-ages adventure, and part rumination on family, loss and how one shell understands and experiences a great, big world.
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On follows the shoe-sporting shell of the same name (Jenny Slate), who’s just a couple inches tall and lives with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rosselini). Marcel and Connie were once two members of a thriving community populated with creatures just like them in stature, but one night, they disappeared. Marcel and Connie struggle to stay afloat and maintain their way of life, especially as Connie grows older and less self-reliant. Now, Marcel’s daily life is being documented by Dean, a documentarian who wants to post his Marcel-centric footage online and see what comes of it. Dean’s videos go viral and, suddenly, Marcel is an online sensation. With this newfound fame, Marcel harnesses his clout to find his lost family with the help of Dean and his thousands of fans.
A tennis ball rolls around on a vacant floor, and a tiny shell with sneakers pops out. From its first moments, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On puts you in its lead character’s shoes. There’s a magic to seeing things from the point of view of Marcel. From there, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On proves it has so much to offer. This movie is so lively and funny, like genuinely funny. Marcel’s unexpected, but perfectly logical objection to signing with “peace and love” had me leaning forward with laughter. At the same time, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On has truly devastating moments, but always in silences and pauses—it tugs on the heartstrings with grace.
The lesson of Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is to persevere, especially for those you love. Marcel’s winning attitude isn’t a put-on—the frequent small difficulties he encounters demonstrates that, at his core, Marcel is a fighter. Undaunted in his quest to find his family, Marcel holds on to hope and gets on the path to find what he’s been searching for. Marcel is just a kind, positive little stinker, weathering life’s ups and downs.
I give Marcel the Shell With Shoes On 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. Whether you’re young, old or anywhere in between, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On will make you laugh—it might make you cry, but most of all, it will make you smile in its own gentle way. Go see this movie! Marcel the Shell With Shoes On released in select theaters June 24, 2022 and expands nationwide in the upcoming weeks. https://youtu.be/EG2b2KZME_w
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