Back in 2010, real life couple (at the time) Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate put together a stop-motion animated video for a friend’s comedy show in around 48 hours with pieces found at a nearby bodega. Seeing the heartwarming reaction of the cynical hipster crowd, they released it only, and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On became a viral hit. A whopping 12 years later, a movie version they always wanted to make but couldn’t find the right project wound up at indie distributor A24, who let them make the quiet, sincere movie they wanted. Thankfully. Because Marcel the Shell with Shoes On goes way beyond a cute, funny animated gag reel to become one of 2022’s most emotionally beautiful films. Really.

Marcel essentially starts like one of his original videos; Fleischer Camp plays a version of himself as a documentary filmmaker. He’s at an AirBnB where he finds Marcel (voiced by Slate), who lives in the residence with his grandmother, Nana Connie (Isabella Rossellini!!!). Dean decides to make a short documentary about Marcel. Marcel shows Dean the challenges of life in his tiny body, often in the rapid fire one-liners as in the original videos. He and Nana Connie grow plants, harvest food, and generally use everything they can to thrive, taking a break only to watch “the show”: 60 Minutes with the “fierce” Leslie Stahl. But the movie quickly gets deeper. We learn that he and Nana Connie had been a part of a much larger community, but, after the Man and the Woman who lived there split up, the rest of the shells–including Marcel’s parents–disappeared. After Dean posts his video online, Marcel becomes a viral phenomenon. Marcel decides to use his newfound fame to see if he can recruit his followers to find the rest of his community. That falls through, but then Dean is contacted by 60 Minutes who want to do a story on Marcel and do what they can to help. Marcel, worried about Nana Connie’s health, doesn’t want to do it, but Nana Connie knows better, convincing Marcel that she is well enough for him to do the interview. What follows touches on the full breadth of human experience: fear, excitement, grief, joy, and everything in between.

Marcel is a little marvel, and the movie appreciates him as such. Though immensely tiny, circumstances have made Marcel grow up. Slate gives Marcel a knowing mix of wonder and wariness; he embraces the challenges of life with gusto, yet has suffered enough to know to be careful in it. There is nothing small about Marcel’s experiences and feelings; thanks to Slate’s performance and Fleischer Camp’s perfect straight-man interactions, Marcel feels completely lived in. And that doesn’t even touch on Rossellini, who gives Nana Connie so much grace and compassion. The two are so perfect together that you can’t help but believe what the rest of the world has accepted: that Marcel and his world are real and wondrous.

Marcel tells Dean, “Guess why I smile so much? Because it’s worth it.” Marcel the Shell is Shoes On is definitely worth it. You will smile…and laugh and cry and even sing (you’ll never hear The Eagles’ “Peaceful Easy Feeling” the same way again). And you will be glad for every moment you get to be a part of Marcel’s world because its such a sincerely beautiful place to be.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is available to buy or rent on demand and on DVD/Blu-Ray/4K UHD Blu-Ray).

(Photo credit: A24 Press)