Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Movie Storyline. 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 connection in the smallest corners.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a 2021 American mockumentary comedy film directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp, written by Jenny Slate and Nick Paley, and based on a story by Fleischer-Camp, Slate, Paley and Elisabeth Holm. It is based on the short films of the same name created and uploaded to YouTube by Fleischer-Camp in 2010. Slate reprises her voice role as Marcel, an anthropomorphic shell living with his grandmother Connie. Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, and Isabella Rossellini also star. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2021, and began a limited release in the United States on June 24, 2022, before its wide release on July 15, by A24 Films.
About the Storyline
Following the end of his marriage, documentary filmmaker Dean moves into an Airbnb and discovers Marcel, a one-inch-tall talking shell living in the home with his grandmother, Nanna Connie and Alan, his pet ball of lint. Inspired by Marcel’s whimsicality, resourcefulness, and fascination with the world, Dean begins filming Marcel’s daily activities, most of which consist of gathering resources from the backyard in order to support himself and Connie, who tends to her garden and is beginning to show signs of dementia. Marcel and Connie bond over their mutual love of 60 Minutes and Lesley Stahl. Dean uploads his first video about Marcel to YouTube, where it quickly becomes a cultural phenomenon. Marcel is both flattered and overwhelmed with his newfound popularity, lamenting that his family is not around to celebrate it with him.
Marcel explains to Dean that there used to be an entire community of shells on the property, including Marcel’s mother, father, brother, and aunt. The shells would take shelter in a sock drawer when the house’s previous owners, Mark and Larissa, started knocking objects over while fighting. After one fight, Mark accidentally packs the shells into his suitcase while moving out, leaving Marcel and Connie as the only ones left on the property.
Dean helps Marcel produce a livestream on the internet asking for help in locating his family. The livestream gains a substantial amount of viewers, but after Marcel shares his location with viewers, the house becomes a popular area for influencers. Marcel becomes dismayed after realizing most of the people who saw his videos are fans, desperate to be associated with him but largely disinterested in helping him.
The constant attention to the house quickly begins to bother Marcel, who is worried about Connie’s deteriorating health. Marcel convinces Dean to drive him around Los Angeles in search of Mark’s car, but is overwhelmed to discover how large and vast the world outside his house really is. Realizing that the world is too big to likely discover the car on his own, a discouraged Marcel returns home to find Connie has fallen off the top of a washing machine and cracked her shell. Marcel tends to her wounds and grows more protective of Connie. Dean has his ex-wife look after his dog, Arthur after he tries to attack Connie.
60 Minutes reaches out to Marcel in the hopes of doing a cover story. Despite Dean’s encouragement, Marcel is reluctant to accept the offer, concerned with what the large production crew and more attention to the house would do to Connie’s health. Marcel tells Dean he will not accept the interview until Connie is fully recovered. Dean confides this information to a fast-deteriorating Connie. Wanting Marcel to live a meaningful life of his own, Connie pretends to show signs of improvement around Marcel while encouraging him to accept the interview. Despite strong reservations, Marcel eventually agrees to the interview, believing it may help him find his family.
Connie’s health continues to worsen as the day of the interview approaches. Connie and Marcel watch as the 60 Minutes crew sets up in the living room and are starstruck upon seeing Stahl in person. Marcel and Dean both participate in the interview. Upon its completion, Marcel and Dean struggle to find Connie before realizing she died while their segment was being filmed. Marcel buries Connie in her garden and grieves her. Dean signs a lease for a new apartment.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2022)
Directed by: Dean Fleischer-Camp
Starring: Jenny Slate, Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, Isabella Rossellini, Samuel Painter, Blake Hottle, Scott Osterman, Shari Finkelstein, Thomas Mann, Jessi Klein, Jamie Leonhart
Screenplay by: Dean Fleischer-Camp, Jenny Slate, Nick Paley
Production Design by: Liz Toonkel
Cinematography by: Bianca Cline
Film Editing by: Dean Fleischer-Camp, Nick Paley
Set Decoration by: Ahmed Delgado
Art Direction by: Jake Tremblay
Music by: Disasterpeace
MPAA Rating: PG for some suggestive material and thematic elements.
Distributed by: A24 Films
Release Date: September 3, 2021 (Telluride), June 24, 2022 (United States)
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