Anomalisa-2015

Director-Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson

Starring-Tom Noonan, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Scott’s Review #469

Reviewed August 27, 2016

Grade: A-

Anomalisa is one of the most creative offerings I have seen of late.

As animation is not my forte- typically I find them much too nice, and the old “family-friendly” tags make me cringe- but Anomalisa has received heaps of buzz so I decided to check it out. I am glad I did.

The stop motion film is quite adult-themed, though not the slightest bit raunchy. Rather it is an intelligent tale about loneliness and human beings connecting through this loneliness. It is a bit of a melancholy film too.

Anomalisa is based on a 2005 play.

The central character of the story is Michael Stone, a depressed customer service expert, who travels to Cincinnati to deliver a seminar on his area of expertise. Michael is riddled with anxiety and his life is rather mundane though he checks into a stylish hotel that is presumably hosting his convention.

He is a bit of a big name within his industry. Oddly, every person he encounters looks and sounds the same- that of a white man- even his wife and son. He is haunted by the memory of an old flame, Bella, who it is revealed he jilted years ago and now lives in Cincinnati.

The story gets interesting when Michael hears a woman’s voice singing- up until now all voices are male, remember- and he is desperate to find the voice.

He meets Lisa (voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh), an insecure, rather a dowdy woman, with who he becomes infatuated. A customer service representative at the hotel to witness Michael’s seminar, Lisa is instantly smitten, though wary of Michael’s intentions. They bond and the film tells of their romance and insecurities.

The film is highly creative and unique. It is also mysterious. My first wonder was attempting to figure out why all of the characters- regardless of gender- share the same voice.

Michael is lonely and sees everyone else in his life as monotonous or meaningless- until he meets Lisa, that is. The film is not clear as to what Michael sees in Lisa- perhaps her realness in a world of phoniness. She is an ordinary girl, but perhaps that is the point? I am still not sure of this.

I did not find the character of Michael to be likable and certainly not one to root for. He is dismissive of some characters, a bit condescending, but despite this, is not a hated character either. He and Lisa as a duo are to root for.

Anomalisa has some humor too- albeit dark humor. When Michael mistakes an adult toy store for a traditional toy store and purchases a Japanese sex doll for his son, Michael’s wife hilariously wonders about some foreign substance around the doll’s mouth. A nervous male passenger on Michael’s flight clutches Michael’s hand, even after landing safely.

The explicit sex scene between Michael and Lisa is as shocking as it is tender- I think showing this graphic edge in animation really through me for a loop since this rarely happens in animated films, and I still- perhaps incorrectly- assume that animated films are for children only with their parents to endure.

To be fair, Anomalisa is not true animation- felt puppets are used, which gives a great, human-looking feel to the film and makes the characters more life-like.

Anomalisa is not a perfect ten but is damn close for its left-of-center approach alone. A magical journey into the art of creativity and thought. A little far out there for most, and perhaps the sarcasm may be lost on some, but a unique experience, nonetheless.

Oscar Nominations: Best Animated Feature Film

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Director-Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Best Supporting Female-Jennifer Jason Leigh, Best Screenplay