Review of Anomalisa (2015) by Marakai — 30 Sep 2020

As strange as Charlie Kaufman’s stories may be they are rooted in actual psychological conditions or perceptions of life. It’s when considering this that it’s hard to ignore just how deep he looks into the abyss and explores philosophical ideas.

Anomalisa is yet another example of this. In truth, his films make a lot more sense if you have prior knowledge on the psychological explorations that he’s intent on. In this case, Kaufman takes a condition known as the “Fregoli delusion” (notice the name of the hotel in the film), a genuine condition in which an individual believes those around them are all the same person and are actually only in disguise.

Needless to say, the paranoia and uncertainty with such a condition would be immense but that’s exactly what drives this the masterfully accomplished work. It challenges perspective and the decision to make it stop-motion animation is an absolute masterstroke.

Not only is it precisely detailed but it manages to combine both realism and surrealism in its artistry which is a wonderful tool in exploring the unravelling of our protagonist’s psyche. Patience is certainly required throughout the film as it takes things very leisurely and requires a mature audience to capture its themes and intentions.

However, if you surrender to Kaufman’s intricate majesty, it’s a thoroughly rewarding work and a shining example of the overlooked medium of stop-motion animation where Kaufman’s co-director, Duke Johnson, also deserves high praise.