Mary and Max

I just watched an extraordinary claymation film, Mary and Max.

It is about a friendship that develops through correspondence between an unhappy child in Australia and fortysomething Jewish man in New York with Asperger's syndrome.

Visually grim and wonderfully detailed, Mary and Max is an exploration of loneliness. Both characters have an incredible sweetness and honesty to them, and the narrative spans many years, into Mary's adulthood.

I was immediately drawn into the movie, and was fascinated and touched by the characters. Although the plot gets slightly over the top, all in all it is marvelous, dark, and moving.

By the way, Philip Seymour Hoffman voiced Max, and he was terrific. I think he is not only a phenomenal actor, but he is so good at choosing unique projects.