Memoir Of A Snail Review

The opening of Adam Elliot’s Memoir Of A Snail is so packed with detail that you need an action replay. Walls smothered with pictures and ticking clocks, every surface covered with books and memorabilia in all shapes and sizes – all with one thing in common. Snails. And, yes, there’s even an empty snail poison box. It all leads to the heart of the story, Grace (voiced by Sarah Snook), in a melancholic but comionate animation that will have you reaching for your tissues.

In only his second feature since the much-loved Mary and Max (2009), Elliot is in his familiar and fantastically imperfect world, with Grace describing her life to her favourite snail and confidante. She is one of twins. Her brother, Gilbert (the voice of Kodi Smit-Mhee), is her hero, protective of his shy and nervous sister, but a family tragedy separates them and their new, adoptive homes are thousands of miles apart. Grace lives with a couple who are swingers, while Gilbert is taken in by a family of religious zealots. Grace’s painful loneliness continues into adulthood, but the arrival of the elderly and eccentric Pinky (voiced by Jacki Weaver), who has “done it all”, changes that. With a life history that includes ping pong with Fidel Castro and a take-no-sh*t attitude, she encourages her friend to grab life by the scruff of the neck and see where it takes her.

Elliot’s style of stop motion looks like the other side of the coin from the UK’s Aardman – the smoothness and bright colours of Wallace and Gromit versus his more grotesque, wrinkled, and darker view – and it’s further underlined by the more abrasive Australian accent, but yet this never overpowers the emotional intelligence with which the film approaches loneliness and loss. The comedy – and there is plenty of it – is impudent and as dry as the Australian desert. Put together, there are some unbearably moving moments when the film grabs you by the throat so that you’re choking back the tears.

As offbeat as his previous films, Memoir Of A Snail is Elliot’s most ambitious to date, both in scale and choice of voice cast, headed by the superb Snook as Grace. With an effortless blend of sadness, innocence, and resignation towards what life delivers – or doesn’t – she is the perfect choice, demonstrating yet again that Shiv in Succession was just the start of what is shaping up to be a glittering career across TV, film, and theatre. The ing cast is full of class, especially Weaver as the indomitable Pinky who “smells of ginger and secondhand shops.” Colourful by nature and in appearance, she stands out against a 70s backdrop of browns and beiges and is a beacon of light for the repressed Grace.

The animation on show at this year’s London Film Festival has been beautifully chosen and, as an Official Competition contender, this one is sure to charm the judges. More significantly it’s a title to watch out for come awards season, even if The Wild Robot (also showing this year) seems to be on everyone’s lips. Its distinctive style, perfectly paced storytelling, and captivating warmth could see it punching well above its weight. A four-tissue movie.

★★★★

Playing as part of the BFI London Film Festival on 10th and 12th October In UK cinemas on 14th February 2025/ The voices of Sarah Snook, Eric Bana, Jacki Weaver, Kodi Smit-Mhee, Nick Cave / Dir: Adam Elliot / Modern Films