Review of Anomalisa (2015) by Hoopernatrix — 01 Jan 2016

Nothing about Anomalisa makes sense, not the cast (David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tom Noonan), not the unique world it builds and especially not the use of animation. Everything about the film is twisted around a relatively normal idea or emotion but either the films use of animation or the disassociation felt by Noonan voicing every single side character.

The script, written by far out storyteller Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation) looks at a married businessmans feelings of not belonging to the world he lives in as he travels to a conference only to be presented with Lisa (Jason Leigh), a woman unlike anyone he knows.

The film tackles feelings of not belonging, of not being able to notice the unique elements of life. The film tackles the psychological nature of married life, the idea that complacency can lead to inadequacy and can make you feel like your life is just more of the same.

The fact that Noonan is everywhere you turn in the film only propagates this idea. Ultimately its hard to find the joy in life every day but once you fail to find it, it becomes easier to miss it more and more until unhappiness blurs the way you perceive life and in Anomalisa you get a glimpse of that kind of thinking and it's a little disconcerting but no less captivating.