This doesn’t usually happen, but MEMOIR OF A SNAIL is a film that I loved, but couldn’t recommend to someone – solely because it’s insidiously disturbing. The Australian stop-motion film managed to make me recoil at multiple scenes. It employs the most subtle, most effective kind of horror; depictions of real-life, everyday trauma.
Stop-motion is such an impactful form of animation because of a side-effect of the painstaking process required to produce a feature-length output. From the storyline to the most minute facial expression, everything needs to be expertly considered. MEMOIR OF A SNAIL runs at a brisk 94 minutes; because of its subject matter, I couldn’t wait for it to be over but somehow also appreciated every minute.
The film’s plot is loosely based on that of its writer, producer, and director Adam Elliot, and features Australian actors Sarah Snook and Kodi Smit-McPhee as voice actors. The film is weird, but grounded – more so than MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON or ANOMALISA – and skillfully inserts an unexpected dose of humor. Overall, MEMOIR OF A SNAIL is worth seeing, especially if you’re interested in a slow-paced dark comedy that is now playing in limited theaters.
