Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Movie Review
Nathan Swank
July 15th, 2022
Who would have guessed that a sweet and touching 89-minute story about a talking one-inch tall shell would be the most captivating film of the year?
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON is about Marcel, an adorable little shell with two little red shoes. Marcel’s got only one eye visible through his little shell but he somehow sees the world far more clearly than most people. Once part of a larger community who were lost to a mysterious tragedy, Marcel and his grandmother Connie are the last two remaining shells residing in a home. Unless you count their pet lint. A documentary filmmaker, Dean, discovers Marcel and Connie living among the clutter of his Airbnb. After Dean posts a short film about Marcel, millions of passionate fans begin showing their support. Marcel faces a few new challenges and opportunities as his sudden stardom brings new hope in finding his long-lost family.
Jenny Slate and her husband, Dean Fleischer-Camp, are the creators of the cutest little mollusk named Marcel. Before the big film debut, they made three sweet, wonderful short films about Marcel, which one can easily find online and are somewhat incorporated into MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON. Jenny perfectly voices the title character, while Dean directs and stars as documentarian. Their love for the character shines through in the thoughtful, wise, and yet simple manner in which Marcel’s words and actions are handled.
There is something truly special about Marcel. He’s both playful but considerate. Funny intentionally and unintentionally, everything Marcel does, somehow has a reflective response from the viewer. Or at least he does for me. Marcel has an honesty and a way of expressing exactly how he feels without being mean. His directness cuts at the heart of things in a plain and effective manner with which is both smile-inducing and impossible to not nod along.
Similar to WALL-E, MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON is a non-human character who teaches us the most about what it is to be human. Finding joy in the small things and concern in the things that matter, MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON reminds us not to sweat the small stuff, to be kind, laugh, and to appreciate those who we love. Freely giving humorous and sometimes surprisingly wise life-lessons and as he bumps into furniture rolling around inside his tennis ball, Marcel presents an eye-opening perspective. Hilarious and heart-warming, MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON is easily one of the best films of the year.
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