Welcome to Marwen movie review

MOVIE TITLE: WELCOME TO MARWEN

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 116 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: C+

IN A NUTSHELL: Based on the fascinating true story about Mark Hogancamp and his 1:6-scale world, Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis gives us a very unique kind of movie that looks at addiction, loneliness, trauma, and love. Zemeckis brought us powerful films and fan favorites like Forrest Gump and Contact and Back to the Future and Cast Away (some of my faves.) Because of that, I think, audiences had very high expectations.

No can deny that this film has some really cool special effects which feature plastic dolls that look like the actors who voice them. There is also live action to carry the story through and connect the two worlds. It’s a well-meaning tribute with very creative storytelling. Unfortunately, many audiences think it has missed the mark.

For my YouTube movie review of this film, I invited movie producer and writer Greg Lynch Jr. to share what he thought about the movie. He gave it D grade! You can watch our review together at: https://youtu.be/3P2xc65NgN8

As Mark says, “To life, to love, to Marwen and the beautiful women thereof!”

THEMES:

Hate crimes
Revenge
Friendship
Fear
Loneliness
Addiction
PTSD and the emotional effects of wars
TBI = Traumatic Brain Injury

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Because of the plastic dolls, some kids may want to see this. It has some adult themes, so please read this review carefully to see if it’s something you want your kids to see.
Mark wears women’s shoes and gets beat up by some men who call him a queer. He doesn’t appear to be gay, because he falls in love with a woman. At one point, he watches porn.
Drawings of topless women. Some plastic dolls are also topless in a few scenes.
Lots of gun shooting and violence. You see some blood on some dolls who die terrible deaths.
Some German spoke with and without subtitles.
Nazis play a huge role in this movie. Some kids won’t know much about World War II and the Nazis.
Some profanity, including a radio call sign that is a slang way to use profanity on air.

THINGS I LIKED:

Steve Carell does a great job with what he has been given, always playing the quirky, social outcast in his films. Because most people are huge fans of The Office: The Complete Series, it’s hard not to like him in anything else he does.
All of the dolls were created using motion capture.
All of the women are so doggone likable and supportive of Mark Hogancamp. It’s intended that way and underscores why Mark loves the “essence” of women so much. The female ensemble includes Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monae, and Elza Gonzalez.
Sometimes the jokes are subtle and other times they’re just super odd and punny.
I LOVED the symbolism of addiction.
You get to see a picture of the real Mark Hogancamp at the very end of the movie. He is currently living in New York and continues to share his artwork.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Based on the trailers, I think most people expected this film to be funnier and more warm-hearted than it turned out to be.
You can definitely see influences from some of Zemeckis former movies in this film. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I haven’t decided yet. There is even a time machine that will remind you a lot of Back to the Future

FUNNY LINES:
* “I gotta tell you, Nicol. Even though those stilettos weren’t invented until 1954, they’re totally you.” – Mark (Steve Carell)

“It’s pretty violent, but at least the Nazis are dead.” – Nicol (Leslie Mann)

INTERESTING LINES:

“I collect women’s essence.” – Mark
“You gotta love the pain. Our pain is our rocket fuel. It reminds us of our strength.” – GI Julie (Janelle Monae)
“You just don’t get it, do you? Women are the saviors of the world.” – Mark

You can learn more about the real Mark Hogancamp, the One Mile Gallery that sells posters and prints to benefit Mark, the documentary directed by Jeff Malmberg, and purchase the book at: http://marwencol.com/?fbclid=IwAR3C1pRJeeMj4tnCrz_WurpLeckpDVg13xRkKHbLZw-CqEhjR6q0K3Zwyag . The real World War II-era town that he built in his backyard is called Marwencol.

TO see the documentary https://amzn.to/2V3owlw