Review of Anomalisa (2015) by Bttrmovies — 02 Feb 2016

In a lot of ways, I think insecurity and self doubt is an essential part of being human. Now that isn't to say that it should control us or be a key component of our day to day life. I mean it in a way that we all suffer from it, but it is how we approach it that helps determine how we can function and how we succeed in life and handle failures. Because of this, Anomalisa and Charlie Kaufman in general succeed on multiple fronts and stick in your mind long after the credits roll on the screen. And by addressing the ideas of self doubt and insecurity, Anomalisa is a depressing yet ultimately fulfilling trip that may reveal more to the viewer than what it seems.

This film follows a successful writer and human services expert, Michael Stone, on a two day business trip to Cincinnati. Michael seems unsatisfied with his trip, his life, and his family. He keeps a breakup letter from a former lover in his pocket and reads it as a way to relive a moment when he felt something. What he felt seems to be unknown, even to himself. In this world the viewer is presented, everyone has the exact same voice. Which is why, about 30 minutes into this short film (only 85 minutes long, not including the end credits) when we hear a voice that is definitively different from Michael and the rest of the world, Michael, and in turn the viewer, takes notice. He hunts down this voice to find the kind and unassuming Lisa (voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh, who does wonderfully in the role as someone who is - like Michael - insecure, but a lot more open about it).

In Lisa, Michael sees someone different. A way to escape, a new world being presented to him. And he doesn't want her to leave his side. At this point, I'll leave the plot for those who wish to see the movie and go into the actual review portion of this write up. Anomalisa plays with the insecurities that we feel, pitting them in the eyes of Michael. Michael isn't the greatest character. In fact, we know very little about him given that we are only viewing him for 2 days in his life. That said, we may not know all of his personality and history but we do see his soul. He is a lonely man who just wants to feel something - whether it be a connection to his family, his ex lover, or Lisa. We feel for him and can see so much of ourselves in this middle aged man. And when he meets Lisa and begins to show interest in her, we feel his excitement.

This movie also features a very tastefully and intimate love scene. I haven't mentioned it yet, but I will point out that this movie is completely stop motion animated. This means that this love scene could oh so easily come off as comedic and in poor taste, especially since animation is most often associated with children's movies, or even adult comedies - of which this is neither. But the love scene is so well done that it doesn't feel off or funny, although there will inevitably be a few moments before and at the beginning of the scene where the viewer wonders how far this scene will go and feel slightly thrown aloof. But I assure you, it is well handled.

Through his experiences with Lisa, we don't get a happy ending for Michael (spoiler alert I suppose, but if you've seen a Charlie Kaufman film you should be prepared for this turn). But we do get a glimpse at a man who may be finding a path towards his reversal of fortune. A nervous breakdown towards the end of the film offers some sort of release for Michael and we get the feeling that while his moments in Cincinnati didn't "fix" him, they may have given him some sort of reprieve from the life he seems so afraid and fed up with.

Overall, this is a well acted and made film. I cannot imagine the man hours that went into the animation of the film, but it was worth it. Furthermore, I believe this movie is the one that should win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, not Inside Out. I doubt that it will happen because not many will see this movie and Disney/Pixar have a pretty tight hold on the Animated Feature Oscar. However, it is very deserving of both the award and the praise, as this should hopefully spark more filmmaker interest in making something like an adult drama in the form of an animated film. That said, it is also Charlie Kaufman which makes me think no one else would be crazy enough to try this on a grand stage like he is, and that the rest of us as viewers are both better and worse off for it...