What’s It About
Marcel is an adorable, 1-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother, Connie, and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. However, when a documentary filmmaker discovers them, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope of finding his long-lost family.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Marcel, this tiny seashell with one eye, a mouth, some feet, an intelligent brain, and a huge heart, is living the shell life with his grandma, Connie. They’ve been through some tough times because the rest of their extended shell fam disappeared, and it’s got them feeling pretty down. Enter Dean, a filmmaker who rolls up to Marcel’s shell house to make a documentary about his life. As they search for Marcel’s lost shell family, Dean turns Marcel into a web sensation with millions of fans—some cool, some toxic. It’s a wild ride as Marcel flips the script on Dean, putting his whole life and work under the microscope. So, Marcel and Nanna Connie live large in this house, right? It used to belong to these humans, Mark and Larissa, but they split, taking Marcel’s family with them. Now, it’s an Airbnb, and no one notices Marcel and his grandma until Dean shows up. Now, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is the weirdest mockumentary ever. If you haven’t met Marcel from his YouTube days in 2010, getting used to his googly-eyed charm might take a while. But there’s so much hope and realness in Marcel’s one eye when he talks about his lost family. He’s doing his tiny chores, caring for Nanna Connie, and rocking this crazy determination. And let me say there are moments when Marcel or Nanna Connie are speaking, but the camera’s all distracted by the wind or birds or whatever. He is creating personal stuff that makes you think about what really matters. Marcel forces you to rethink your life. This movie fits right into the classic “two unlikely friends” theme. At first, Dean’s all like, “No cameras, please!” But Marcel’s pushing back, asking if he’s trying to avoid pain when it’s all over. He hits Dean right in the feels because he’s dealing with a breakup and crashing at the Airbnb. The whole movie has this whimsical vibe that never quits. I never thought a small shell playing Taps on a noodle could hit you or seeing him belt out The Eagles’ Peaceful Easy Feeling. And let’s not forget Alan, Marcel’s lint dog, the coffee table turned into an ice rink, and Marcel’s tiny shell hat—pure awesomeness. Marcel’s story is simple but about facing loneliness and finding a crew that gets your struggles. In the third act, before a big interview, Nanna Connie nudges Marcel about seizing opportunities while he’s young. It’s a subtle reminder of life’s ups and downs that ties the whole film together. So, in a nutshell, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a journey into how the people you love might not always be around, but finding a crew who gets your struggles can make the future less lonely.
OUR RATING – A ONE-EYED 7.5
MEDIA
- Genre – Family
- Street date
- Digital – September 6th, 2022
- DVD/Blu-Ray/4K – November 7th, 2023
- Video – 1080p
- Screen size – 1.55:1
- Sound – English: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles – French, English, Spanish
Extras
- Making-of featurette
- Original shorts
- Filmmaker commentary with Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, and Nick Paley
- Booklet contents:
Storyboard excerpts
Character artwork
Animation brief excerpts
Behind the scenes photography