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Mary and Max

Original title: Mary and Max.
  • 20092009
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
175K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Mary and Max. (2009)
A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.
Play trailer2:32
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Animation
  • Comedy
  • Drama

A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New Y... Read allA tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.

IMDb RATING
8.1/10
175K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Adam Elliot
  • Writer
    • Adam Elliot
  • Stars
    • Toni Collette(voice)
    • Philip Seymour Hoffman(voice)
    • Eric Bana(voice)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Adam Elliot
  • Writer
    • Adam Elliot
  • Stars
    • Toni Collette(voice)
    • Philip Seymour Hoffman(voice)
    • Eric Bana(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 259User reviews
    • 179Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #203
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos1

    Mary and Max
    Trailer 2:32
    Mary and Max

    Photos137

    Bethany Whitmore in Mary and Max. (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mary and Max. (2009)
    Bethany Whitmore in Mary and Max. (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mary and Max. (2009)
    Mary and Max. (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mary and Max. (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mary and Max. (2009)
    Melanie Coombs and Adam Elliot at an event for Mary and Max. (2009)
    Adam Elliot at an event for Mary and Max. (2009)
    Melanie Coombs and Adam Elliot at an event for Mary and Max. (2009)
    Melanie Coombs and Adam Elliot at an event for Mary and Max. (2009)
    Robert Redford, Melanie Coombs, and Adam Elliot at an event for Mary and Max. (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Toni Collette
    Toni Collette
    • Mary Daisy Dinkleas Mary Daisy Dinkle
    • (voice)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • Max Jerry Horovitzas Max Jerry Horovitz
    • (voice)
    Eric Bana
    Eric Bana
    • Damien Popodopolousas Damien Popodopolous
    • (voice)
    Barry Humphries
    Barry Humphries
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Christopher Massey
    Christopher Massey
    • 911 Operatoras 911 Operator
    • (voice)
    • (as Chris Massey)
    • …
    Oliver Marks
    • Alleyway Bully Oneas Alleyway Bully One
    • (voice)
    Daisy Kocher
    • Alleyway Bully Twoas Alleyway Bully Two
    • (voice)
    • …
    Daniel Marks
    • Alleyway Bully Threeas Alleyway Bully Three
    • (voice)
    Hamish Hughes
    • Animals (Miscellaneous)as Animals (Miscellaneous)
    • (voice)
    • …
    Dan Doherty
    • BMX Banditas BMX Bandit
    • (voice)
    Julie Forsyth
    • Bus Stop Motheras Bus Stop Mother
    • (voice)
    • …
    Mandy Mao
    • Cher the Chihuahuaas Cher the Chihuahua
    • (voice)
    • …
    Patrick McCabe
    Patrick McCabe
    • Datsun Sunny Driveras Datsun Sunny Driver
    • (voice)
    Adam Elliot
    Adam Elliot
    • Dr. Bernard Hazelhofas Dr. Bernard Hazelhof
    • (voice)
    • …
    Mr. Peck
    • Ethel the Roosteras Ethel the Rooster
    • (voice)
    Michael James Allen
    • Ferrari Driveras Ferrari Driver
    • (voice)
    • (as Michael Allen)
    Bill Murphy
    • Frankston Icebreaker Oneas Frankston Icebreaker One
    • (voice)
    Shaun Patten
    • Frankston Icebreaker Twoas Frankston Icebreaker Two
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Adam Elliot
    • Writer
      • Adam Elliot
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In the mid-1970's, a homely, friendless Australian girl of 8 picks a name out of a Manhattan phone book and writes to him; she includes a chocolate bar. She's Mary Dinkle, the only child of an alcoholic mother and a distracted father. He's Max Horowitz, an overweight man with Asperger's, living alone in New York. He writes back, with chocolate. Thus begins a 20-year correspondence, interrupted by a stay in an asylum and a few misunderstandings. Mary falls in love with a neighbor, saves money to have a birthmark removed and deals with loss. Max has a friendship with a neighbor, tries to control his weight, and finally gets the dream job. Will the two ever meet face to face? —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
    • stop motion
    • black comedy
    • stop motion animation
    • asperger's syndrome
    • male nudity
    • 144 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Two unlikely people. Two different worlds come together in a story about a most unusual friendship.
    • Genres
      • Animation
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      It took 2400 teaspoons of lubricant to create the ocean when Max imagines himself on a desert island.
    • Goofs
      Part of the movie is set in Australia and part of the movie is set in New York, however, the cars always drive on the left side of the road, even the scene in New York.
    • Quotes

      Max Jerry Horovitz: The reason I forgive you is because you are not perfect. You are imperfect. And so am I. All humans are imperfect.

    • Crazy credits
      Before the end credits the next quote appears: "God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends" by Ethel Watts Mumford.
    • Connections
      Featured in De wereld draait door: Episode #5.148 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Perpetuum Mobile
      Composed by Simon Jeffes

      Published by Editions Penguin Café Ltd

      Performed by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra (as Penguin Café Orchestra)

      Licensed by Fable Music Pty Ltd on behalf of Zopf Ltd

    User reviews259

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Witty, well observed and wondrous
    I went into this film at the Berlinale with mixed feelings. I knew that Adam Elliot's shorts were great but frankly the last few years haven't been great for Australian films and a number of short filmmakers have made disappointing first features.

    But right from the opening frame, this film shattered any of my doubts. It's so refreshing to see a film told with such a strong unique vision and pulled off so effortlessly. This is made even more remarkable not only as it's made using stop motion animation but also because of the characters and subject matter it tackles.

    Mary is an 8 year old outcast living in the suburbs of Melbourne. On a whim, she chooses a name at random in a phone book and sends off a letter asking about life on the other side of the world. The letter is received by Max, an overweight depressive in his 40's living in New York, suffering from Aspergers Syndrome. A friendship is born as the pair exchange letters over the next 20 years. offering each other support, advice and the chance to see life through another set of eyes.

    While the world is painted in gloomy hues of brown and grey and the characters lead bleak lives, the genius of the script is that the characters never wallow or feel sorry for themselves. The tone is kept humorous and balanced allowing us to be moved by the characters as they stumble through life but also laugh at their foibles and observations of the world they struggle to fit into. Not since Muriel's Wedding has Australia produced so fine a comedy with such rich detail and I probably got even more laughs out of this.

    My only criticism of the film would be some of its music particularly its use in one key scene of the Humming Chorus (already used so memorably in the finale of Heavenly Creatures). It meant that in a critical moment I was thinking of Kate Winslet up to no good instead of connecting with Mary & Max. But this is more a personal concern and if that's the weakest thing about the film, it's doing pretty well. I hope this film is seen by the wide audience it so richly deserves.
    helpful•118
    27
    • asphodelfilms
    • Feb 16, 2009

    FAQ2

    • Is the film really based on a true story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 12, 2010 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Australia
    • Official sites
      • Official site (Germany)
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Yiddish
    • Also known as
      • Mary Và Max
    • Filming locations
      • Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    • Production company
      • Melodrama Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • A$8,240,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,740,429
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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