I heard the title in passing and completely forgot about it until I was assigned the screener. Why am I going to a kid’s movie? It’s actually a family movie about Marcel, who is a shell that lives and takes care of his grandmother in an Airbnb.
The stop-action and live feature is filmed as a documentary by the filmmaker (Dean Fleischer-Camp)that just moved into the home. Marcel (Voiced by Jenny Slate) shares his take on life as he goes about his day while Dean asks him questions.
Through the questions, we learn that the previous tenants were a couple that split. Before the couple split, Marcel had a large group of family and friends.
They had all disappeared after they moved out. Since Marcel and his grandmother were left behind, he had invented many ways to get around the house and get to what he needed. Even though the movie has a small cast, the film content was able to hold the attention of young ones in the theater. I was surprised and pleased that this was the case since before the film started, the room echoed of little kids’ voices. Marcel’s take on the world and life is refreshing and kind in its interpretation.
He is able to simplify an adult’s view of a complex situation and have a different perspective. I guess that we would call it Marcel’s philosophy. The movie has a gentle, sweet repartee between Marcel and Dean, the friendship that develops is one of genuine caring and love. It is a heartwarming film, with a delightful perspective that reminds us that family is very important. Despite what can happen, we can be resilient, independent, and strong. I enjoyed this movie, it is truly a family film that all can enjoy. I encourage all to see it.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
