January 15, 2009 (Sundance)
April 9, 2009 (Australia)
Mary and Max is a 2009 Australian stop-motion animated tragicomedy film written and directed by Adam Elliot and was his first animated feature film. The film was produced by Melanie Coombs and Melodrama Pictures with music by Dale Cornelius. The voice cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Eric Bana and Bethany Whitmore, with narration provided by Barry Humphries.
The film follows the lives and friendship of two unlikely pen-pals; Mary, a lonely Australian girl, and Max, a middle-aged American man with Asperger syndrome. The film is inspired by Elliot's relationship with his "pen-friend" in New York whom he has been writing to for over twenty years.
The film premiered on the opening night of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival on January 15, 2009. The film won the Annecy Cristal in June 2009 from the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Best Animated Feature Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in November 2009. The film was also nominated for both the AACTA Award for Best Film and the AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay in December 2009. The film was theatrically released on April 9, 2009, by Icon Entertainment International; it received acclaim from critics.
Storyline
In 1976, eight-year-old Mary Daisy Dinkle lives a lonely life in Mount Waverley, Victoria, Australia. Her classmates tease her because of a birthmark on her forehead. Her distant father, Noel, and alcoholic, kleptomaniac mother, Vera, provide little support. Her only comforts are her pet rooster, Ethel; her favourite food, sweetened condensed milk; and a Smurfs-like cartoon show called The Noblets. While at the post office with her mother, Mary spots a New York City telephone book and, curious about Americans, decides to write to one. She randomly chooses Max Jerry Horowitz from the phone book and sends him a letter telling him about herself.
Max is a morbidly obese 44-year-old Jewish atheist who has trouble forming relationships due to various mental and social problems. Mary's letter initially gives him an anxiety attack, but he writes back, and the two become friends (partly due to their shared love of chocolate and The Noblets). Vera disapproves of Max, so Mary tells him to send his letters to her agoraphobic neighbour, Len Hislop. Mary asks Max about love, and he suffers a severe anxiety attack, being institutionalised for eight months. He wins the New York Lottery and buys a lifetime supply of chocolate and the entire collection of Noblet figurines. He gives the remainder to his elderly neighbour, Ivy, who pampers herself before dying in a jet pack-related accident. Mary becomes despondent, thinking Max has abandoned her.
Max finally writes back to Mary, explaining he has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. The two continue their correspondence for the next several years. When Noel retires, he takes up metal detecting and is swept away by a large tidal bore while on a beach. The now-adult Mary goes to the University of Melbourne. She has her birthmark removed and develops a crush on her neighbour, Greek-Australian Damien Popodopoulos. Vera accidentally kills herself after she drinks embalming fluid instead of cooking sherry. Mary and Damien later marry, although Damien is shown to be uncomfortable being intimate with her.
Mary studies psychology and writes her doctoral dissertation on finding a cure for Asperger syndrome with Max as her case study, despite his previous statements about not needing or wanting to be cured. She sends Max a copy, and he is infuriated, believing she has taken advantage of him. He breaks off communication with Mary by removing the letter "M" from his typewriter. Mary has the entire run of her book pulped, ending her career. She becomes depressed and begins drinking. She finds a can of condensed milk and sends it to Max as an apology. She finds a letter from Damien informing her that he has left her for his pen pal, New Zealand sheep farmer Desmond.
After nearly choking a homeless man in anger (all because he threw a cigarette on the ground), Max realizes everyone is imperfect like himself. He sends Mary his Noblet figurine collection as a gesture of forgiveness. Mary fails to find the box on her doorstep for several days. Unaware she is pregnant with Damien's child, Mary decides to commit suicide. Having finally conquered his agoraphobia, Len alerts her of Max's package. A letter from Max tells her of his realisation that they are not perfect. He also states how much their friendship means to him and hopes their paths will cross one day.
One year later, Mary travels to New York with her infant child to visit Max. Mary discovers Max dead on his couch, gazing upward and smiling. Mary finds all the letters she sent Max over the years taped to the ceiling. Seeing how much Max valued their friendship, Mary cries tears of joy as she sits beside him on the couch.
Movie Trailer
- Mary and Max (2009) (Trailers)
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Lincoln Town Car In Sk PE073501
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 7 Woman Three PE134101 (Heard thrice.)
- Hollywoodedge, Seagulls No Surf BT022101 (Heard in a low volume.)
- Sound Ideas, COW - SINGLE MOO, ANIMAL 01 (Heard in a low volume.)
- Sound Ideas, COW - SINGLE MOO, ANIMAL 02 (Heard once in a low volume.)
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, BABY - CRYING? (2nd half; heard briefly off-screen in a low volume when Max is in the hospital. Needs clarification.)
- Sound Ideas, SIREN - 'WAIL' SIREN, POLICE, AMBULANCE, FIRE TRUCK 01 (Heard at low volume.)
- Sound Ideas, WHISTLE, STEAM - FACTORY WHISTLE, LARGE FACTORY