Film Review: MEMOIR OF A SNAIL (2024): The Best Underdog Tale of the Year is Stop-Motion Animation at its Most Creative
Memoir of a Snail Review
Memoir of a Snail (2024) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Adam Elliot and starring Sarah Snook, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Eric Bana, Jacki Weaver, Adam Elliot, Dominique Pinon, Nick Cave, Magda Szubanski, Flynn Wandin, Luke Elliot and Bernie Clifford.
Babe. The Full Monty. Simon Birch. CODA. Go ahead and add Adam Elliot’s delightful and wonderful Memoir of a Snail to a list of movies like those which are stories of underdogs trying to make their way in the world who triumph against the odds. Elliot’s new masterpiece is simply magnificent and will charm viewers’ socks off and then some. It is the story of a brother and a sister named Grace (voice of Sarah Snook) and Gilbert (the fine Kodi Smit-McPhee’s voice) Pudel. They’re a pair of lovable misfits who can’t seem to catch a break. Their mom dies shortly after giving birth to them and their artist father isn’t around much longer after that either. But, this set of siblings’ hearts are strong and their abilities to thrive under difficult circumstances make them winning characters who audiences will simply adore from beginning to end.
This may be the best stop-motion animation film since Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. It has taken 30 years for a movie as ambitious and wildly creative as Memoir of a Snail to grace the silver screen and its presence is certainly welcome. Elliot’s characters are carefully constructed in such a way that they are easy to like and even easier to root for. Grace is a true original. She is the type of character you can’t help but adore and Snook’s voice-over work complemented with tremendously detailed animation merge to create the sweetest and most lovable character I’ve seen at the movies this year.
Memoir of a Snail presents Grace as a snail-lover who, along with her brother, Gilbert, discovers that life doesn’t always play fair. When they are separated and adopted by different families, hilarity and heartbreak ensues. Grace’s new parents are swingers who go out on the town and do what swingers do (yes, this is not a kid friendly animated film) while Gilbert’s adopted family is a bunch of religious fanatics who the film captures humorously and enjoyably.
This movie shows the book titles Grace and Gilbert read along the way and the titles are so funny in correlation to how they are presented in the movie that it wouldn’t be fair to give away the titles here. Let’s just say these characters read some of the best literature out there but reading the great stories life has to offer doesn’t necessarily offer them a better life in the outside world.
Grace eventually finds a lover but things take a drastic turn along the way which I will certainly not reveal here. There’s a masturbating judge who plays into the action when he ends up down on his luck and the movie has fun with many of the supporting characters. The best supporting character in the film is Pinky (voice of the always sensational Jacki Weaver). Pinky is a resident older woman in town who Grace gets a perm with in a hysterical scene. Pinky delivers quirky life advice and one-liners with zest and the character is full of heart and spunk that helps drive the film’s story along. The movie opens with a hilarious presentation of Pinky in turmoil but I wouldn’t dare spoil the fun.
Pinky is also a bit confused as she returns her library books into a garbage dump at one point thinking it’s the library return slot. But, Grace shows her the error she’s making and the two characters share an uncommon bond that touches the heart throughout. The film is strongest in the presentation of the brother and sister, though. The unreliable narrative will make one think they’ll never see each other again but if one keeps on hoping, a happy ending could arrive. Just keep the faith. Grace and Gilbert stick up for one another through all their trials and tribulations and are inspiring as they make their way through some awkward situations in a Forrest Gump-style fashion.
Memoir of a Snail has few, if any, flaws. It spans years as it shows Grace finally getting to make a film which she shows to an unenthusiastic audience. Anyone who has ever yearned to be an artist and failed to make an impression will find Memoir of a Snail highly relatable throughout. Snook nails the part of Grace, instilling personality in her, while the animation gives her an offbeat look that makes the character easy to sympathize with. Also, Weaver’s turn as Pinky is one for the record books. She’s side-splittingly hysterical.
It’s impossible to meaningfully describe all the great things about Memoir of a Snail in a brief review like this. The sharp writing by director Adam Elliot is nothing short of creatively wicked and sensitive, simultaneously. This is not a movie for kids though older kids will definitely enjoy it. Instead, it’s a movie about effectively dealing with life’s curve balls whether it be bullies or the fact that making one’s dreams come true takes time and dedication but also, most importantly, perseverance. I really loved the earnest, moving, and offbeat funny gem, Memoir of a Snail, and will be seeing it again. Don’t miss it.
Rating: 9.5/10
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