Memoir of a Snail: Tragically Touching

A terribly tragic tale carefully crafted through claymation and a creative knack, Memoir of a Snail is a heavy film that leaves the viewer feeling mildly deflated, albeit with a wisp of hope.

Rating: 6.8/10

Highlights

• Very creative story

• Awkwardly funny

• Endearing

Lowlights

• Depressing

• Not much room for hope

• Too much narration

Memoir of a Snail tenuously walked a tightrope between humor and devastation in a particularly unique and electrifying way I haven't seen before. I was riveted, less by the uncertainty of the plot, and more by the uncertainty of my emotions. It saw the humor in despair in a particularly poignant way. The theme of retreating into one's shell, and snails, by proxy, is an apt example of this dynamic. A cheeky yet on-the-nose metaphor, the audience couldn't help but feel appreciative towards Gracie's snail obsession despite this clear signal that she was struggling deeply to make human connections. However, I felt there was a hole in the story that left out any true message of hope, an essential for a tragedy such as this. The ending felt too easy, and I was left emotionally exhausted after sucha whirlwind of a film. The creativity required to not only physically craft a film, but to write a script that teetered so between two opposite genres, was compelling. However, the film clearly endeavored to zap the viewer with a touching message of hope, a goal not quite accomplished due to the sudden and implausible ending and overbearing sadness. 

Liked Memoir of a Snail? Check out Mary and Max, another claymation tragicomedy by Adam Elliot that explores similar themes of loneliness and the absurdity of life.

Watch the trailer!