Memoir of a Snail

From the writer-director of Mary & Max comes yet another stop-motion animation gem, this time a bittersweet memoir of a melancholic misfit who looks back on her life marred by tragedy, misfortunes & mundanity. Taking ideas & inspiration from the director's own life, Memoir of a Snail addresses loss, grief, loneliness, depression & more through the trials & tribulations of the lonely misfit from childhood to adulthood.

Written, produced & directed by Adam Elliot, the film is darkly funny & downright devastating as we journey more into the life story of our protagonist. Elliot employs slices of his own experience to narrate this memoir that starts on a poignant note but slowly finds its way towards hope as it unfolds, ultimately finishing with a life-affirming statement that we can only connect all the dots looking backwards while living forwards.

The painstaking stop-motion process impresses without doubt but it's the voice performances that leave a stronger imprint along with the deft script, splendid camerawork & excellent score. The story does get repetitive after a while and the slow pace becomes a bother but there is an earnestness in the storytelling that shines through and compels the audience to stay on board, and makes its message heard loud & clear in the end.

Overall, Memoir of a Snail is a skilfully directed, neatly scripted, ingeniously animated, expertly photographed & intimately scored tragicomedy that ranks amongst the better films of the year. It is heartbreaking yet heartwarming, disquieting yet comforting, tragic yet amusing and all the things that makes life worth living. A plea that asks its viewers to get out of their shells in order to experience the beautiful tapestry of life, this memoir is worth a shot.