Katie Byrne reviews the emotional portrayal of a lonely, sheltered snail-loving misfit as she struggles to break free from her self-imposed shell.
From director Adam Elliot comes a stop-motion animated tragicomedy, Memoir of a Snail. A semi-autobiographical narrative, the story follows the lonely life of Grace Pudel (Sarah Snook) from childhood to adulthood. Before we have a chance to connect with any other character however, we are greeted with incredibly creative opening credits that are accompanied by a soundtrack produced by the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The skill of the animators is evident in the opening sequence and this nurtures an instant interest in the film and its narrative.
We are introduced to Grace, a melancholic woman who is a hoarder of snails, romance novels and guinea pigs. A hat that resembles that of a snail, accompanies Grace from the beginning and it becomes an integral part of her identity from a very young age. This hat stays with her throughout the whole film and we become just as attached to it as Grace is. The film highlights some serious themes but is lightened with humour and sexual innuendos - creating an often confusing balance of emotions. Although the film embraces a happy ending, there are devastating scenes that demand a deep emotional investment from the viewer. Despite it being an emotionally intense film, the plot and attention to miniscule details allow the film to shine in its own way.
Grace and her twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee) become orphans at a very young age, losing both of their parents mere years apart. The death of Percy Pudel (Dominique Pinon) leads to the eventual separation of the twins as they are placed in foster care. This results in the first of many touching scenes throughout the film. However, as Gilbert is being taken away from his only remaining family, the van displays a plaque claiming that the service was known for “bringing people together.” This clever detail cannot be missed and it certainly is not the only one present in the film. Similar scenes involve a car driving at high speed with the attached registration plate: I ? 2KIL and a character death caused by a knife, resulting in a tombstone that reads: “his life was cut short.” The ability to perfectly balance a disturbing atmosphere with comic relief details is one of the film’s greatest achievements.
The level of detail throughout the film is something to be commended. The Pudel family’s love of literature certainly does not go unnoticed, as famous pieces of literature such as Of Mice and Men, Lord of the Flies, and The Bell Jar feature in a multitude of scenes. As well as this, when Grace and Gilbert try to survive in their respective foster family’s home, they often write to each other and the transition between one side of the country to the other, is signalled by the presence of the moon. This seems to be the only thing connecting the two siblings throughout their adolescent and adult years, grounding the film in a realistic setting which viewers can resonate with, and allows us to root for the characters.
An extremely likable character is an older woman named Pinky (Jacki Weaver) who Grace meets in her teenage years. Pinky acts as a mother-figure to Grace as she nurses her back from a failed relationship and helps her to gain back the confidence she never really acquired in the first place.
An interesting element displayed was the inclusion of a stop-motion film, within a stop-motion film. Grace’s father was an animator and created short films in France before moving to Australia to marry. Following in the footsteps of her father, Grace expresses an interest in stop-motion animation and there are multiple scenes in which she demonstrates her passion, leading to a full circle moment towards the end of the film. This addition was appreciated as it provided information on how exactly a stop-motion animation is produced. As well as this, it distances the film from the imagination and further proposes the film as a work of nonfiction, which only speaks to the talent involved in the development of the film.
Grace’s relentless misfortune results in her facing many low moments in her personal, romantic and creative life. At these moments, when her anxiety is at an all time high, she protects herself by creating a shell-shaped enclosure, similar to that of her pet snails. The themes of enclosure and confinement are heavily present in this film. At the start of the film, Grace lets her favourite snail Sylvia out from the jar that she calls home, subsequently allowing herself to leave her own personal cage. With the help of Pinky, Grace learns to break free from her confinement, she completes the classic act of burning anything from her life that does not serve her any longer. Well, everything except her snail hat, bringing the viewer as much joy as Grace herself.
Overall, Memoir of a Snail is a dark and grim tale that utilises its exceptional animation to celebrate humanity and the power of self-belief. Grace Pudel’s life is far from glamorous but when she seeks comfort from Pinky and Sylvia, she overcomes obstacles at her own pace and finds strength in her individuality.