Marcel the shell with shoes on is a family film directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. It is based on the character’s short videos created by Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate, who also voices Marcel. The film revolves around Marcel and his grandmother, Connie (Isabella Rossellini), who live alone after the rest of their family was accidentally taken away when the couple living in the house broke up. Filmmaker Dean moves into the house, which is now an Airbnb, and films Marcel’s documentary videos. When Marcel’s popularity skyrockets, he and Dean decide to track down his family.
It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in 2021 before being widely released in the summer of 2022. The film was well received and according to News Times, debuted with a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Those familiar with the video shorts will of course find a lot to love in the film, but Marcel successfully conquers the hearts of every audience member with both his happy and sad moments. His story of loss, hope and family can resonate with anyone and will probably bring them to tears. This is why it is a great movie for our times.
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It shows the importance of community and connection
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Marcel and his family hid in a drawer when Mark and Larissa, the couple in the house, argued. When Mark leaves, he dumps the drawer in his suitcase, leaving only Marcel and Connie behind. The two are very close, bond over 60 minutes and share their lives together, but Marcel feels lonely and isolated without his family’s connection. For a while, he connects on the Internet, shares in videos that others watch, and tries experiments people have done online. However, this eventually turns against him when he shares the location of the house and finds it overrun by social media influencers. While he’s found a community online for a while, it can’t replace his family’s real community and connection, and instead he puts newspapers in front of his windows and spends more time with Dean and Connie. Dean also senses this lack of connection after breaking up with his wife, and begins to find happiness in his friendship with Marcel.
This sense of isolation and longing for connection has always been part of humanity, but has become even stronger in the past two years with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have felt lonely and isolated and longed for human connection; we also began to realize how precious that connection was. Although Marcel’s family is away, it is important to note that he may have a small intercourse with Connie and Dean. The three really find fun and camaraderie with each other, serving as a reminder that a family, or a community, can come from anywhere. With or without a pandemic, human connection is at the heart of life, and it makes Marcel’s reunion with his family all the more heartwarming.
It’s about love and loss
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Much of Marcel’s story revolves around the loss of his family and his love for them. He especially has a deep love for Connie, who shows signs of dementia and her health deteriorates after breaking her shield in a fall from the washing machine. He gets so worried about her that when… 60 minutes reaches out to interview him, but he declines, fearing the excitement will make her health worse — even though the interview is his best chance at finding his family. He is hesitant to risk what he has if his family’s return is not guaranteed. Connie also has love for Marcel and wants him to live his own life to the fullest. She pretends to get better so that Marcel will do the interview, and encourages him to live despite doubt and loss.
Connie dies while the interview is taking place, after reading “The Trees”, a poem by Richard Larkin, about renewal and rebirth in nature. in a interview with VarietySlate says the dynamic between Marcel and Connie is meant to show that “your life will always change,” which is exactly how you live. Connie’s poem also addresses this, encouraging her for Marcel to continue with all of life’s changes. Although she is addressing this to Marcel, it is an important message for everyone. The changes and ups and downs are all part of life, and they make our lives. Embracing life and love, especially in the face of loss, is how we really live.
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It shows how to appreciate the little things
Marcel can find joy in small things, and this becomes even more poignant when we consider the loss and fear he has experienced. Despite what happened, he can still find things that make him happy, like popcorn, driving a tennis ball around like a car, and being with Connie. Even Dean finds joy in Marcel’s company. This unique friendship shows how everything is important and that even the smallest creatures can bring joy. Marcel even inspires Dean to participate in the 60 minutes interview, instead of hiding behind the camera. Finding friendship and joy in unlikely places, and using that to appreciate life, is something for both children and adults to share.
This idea of joy in small things is used most emotionally at the end of the film, when Marcel tells Dean that he likes to sit on the windowsill in the laundry room and listen to the wind blowing through his shield. This helps him feel connected to his grandmother, and is also an example of how he finds happiness in small things again. With the world as stressful as it is, Marcel taking the time to sit and listen to the wind is a reminder for all of us to take the time and notice the small, beautiful things around us. It’s an important message for everyone, and it proves why Marcel and his film are here at just the right time.