Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is an internet phenomenon that took over YouTube a little over 10 years ago. If you have never seen the short it shows a small shell telling the viewer how they do day-to-day things. The videos are so cute and heartwarming that you just want to spend more time with Marcel.
If your wish was to have a full-length Marcel movie then your wish has been granted. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is an absolute delight. The presentation is so effortless that you get lost in his world. Just seeing how he uses a tennis ball to travel around the house or a mixer to knock down oranges from a tree, you have to love his never give up attitude. I think the owner of the house might get a little annoyed at cleaning honey off the walls but Marcel uses the honey to stick to the walls as he gets to his little cove.
In expanding the shorts to a full-length movie you need to come up with a story that will pull in the viewer and not just be a rehash of the online shorts. While there are elements of the shorts in the movie we learn more about Marcel. Marcel and Nana Connie are not the only shells that lived in the house. There were more of them and after a rainstorm and argument between the homeowners, Marcel and his family were separated.
One of the highlights of the movie is the relationship between Marcel and Nana Connie. Nana, who is voiced by Isabella Rossellini, enjoys watching 60 Minutes with Marcel and is the only remaining relative left with him after the other family members disappear. The beauty of this relationship is that is mirrors many relationships that many children have with their own grandparents. We view them as not only our caregivers but our friends who we share our passions with. Watching how Marcel shares with Nana the viewership on the videos uploaded about them rise is such a cute moment. It’s also cute to see how Marcel tries to protect her when he leaves the house to search for his family.
By becoming viral on the internet we see how Marcel uses this to try to get more attention to his cause of finding his family. What is great about this part of the movie is that we get to see a small glimpse of the dark side of internet celebrity. With so many people now knowing about Marcel, people start showing up at his house to try to take pictures of him. This causes Marcel to cover up the windows with newspaper to prevent people from looking inside the house. This also gets the attention of 60 Minutes and has them profile Marcel in hopes of helping him find his family.
The third act of the movie has some heartache in it but also has some joyous moments. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a feel good movie we need right now when the world is falling apart. It is greta to see a movie that is just a slice of life film even though that slice of life is told from the perspective of a shell.
Check out a shortened version of the roundtable we participated in with Jenny Slate regarding Marcel the Shell with Shoes on. There is a spoiler in this video so you have been warned.
Click here to see the full roundtable interview.
Final Thoughts: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a joy of a movie. This is that wholesome movie that we need to see right now to cleanse us from all the ills of the world. It is s great story about family and belonging. Marcel teaches us that through determination you can accomplish anything. This is definitely a feel-good movie.
Kid-Friendly: The movie is very kid-friendly. Although it is a little slower-paced than most movies, younger children might not have the attention span to keep up with Marcel. I would recommend it for ages 9 and up.
Violence: There is a scene where the previous owners of the house are arguing and their yells scare Marcel’s family to hide. There isn’t anything else in the movie that could be considered too much for younger viewers.
Marcel is an adorable one-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. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family. A beloved character gets his big-screen debut in this hilarious and heartwarming story about finding connections in the smallest corners.