Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – Film Review
Published September 15, 2022
Movie Details
From A24 comes the next… wholesome mockumentary comedy? Yes, that’s right. This upbeat and optimistically fun film was distributed by the same folks that terrorized your dreams with films such as Midsommar and Saint Maud. Perhaps even A24 knows that we are living in strange times and we need a little bit of a laugh every once in a while.
Dean Fleischer Camp‘s Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a fine little film that will surely make you laugh and smile every so often, even if it occasionally feels like it’s ultimately leading nowhere. This isn’t the game-changingly feel-good movie that everyone is making it out to be, but if you want a bit of gleeful escapism, this will surely do the trick quite well.
Almost all of this film’s charm comes from the titular character, who is thankfully remarkably lovable and brought to life beautifully by the incredibly endearing vocal talents of its voice actress Jenny Slate. As soon as Marcel appears on screen, it’s nearly impossible not to fall in love with this strange yet oh-so-lovable talking shell.
The entertainment value of this movie lies within us watching Marcel discover all that the world has to offer and how big and vast it all is. Seeing him ask what certain things are and what certain words mean is quite wholesome to watch, even if it eventually gets a bit tiring toward the end of the movie.
The script from Slate, Camp, and Nick Paley is nice and fun. They did a good job at injecting a sense of wonder into this story, and making it an enjoyable watch for audiences of all ages. Surprisingly enough, actually, this is one of those films that will honestly be enjoyed by adults more than children, most likely.
It’s a superbly well-crafted movie that never feels too long or too short. It’s a blast of a film to watch, but it’s not without flaws. The story felt like it needed some extra power and the ending feels way too abrupt and unsatisfying in the long-run, but this is, at its core, a feel-good movie that will surely put you in a good mood.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a wholesome mockumentary comedy brought to life beautifully by director Dean Fleischer Camp and its lead star Jenny Slate.