'Anomalisa' A Review

Anomalisa is a stop-motion drama from writer/co-director Charlie Kaufman. Michael Stone(David Thewlis) is a husband, father, and the best-selling author of customer service handbook How May I Help You Help Them?. The film opens with Michael on his way to speak at a conference in Cincinnati crippled by depression. This manifests itself in every other person looking the same and voiced by the same actor(Tom Noonan). After Michael has a series of banal/awkward/negative interactions he hears a woman's voice at his hotel who he rushes out to meet. Lisa(Jennifer Jason Leigh) is an attendant at the conference Michael will be speaking and they spend the night together.

Thewlis as the lead gives a good performance, navigating the different levels of manic with alacrity but fails(or is prevented from) breaking out of the characters pervasive desperation. Leigh is the clear standout, providing much needed vulnerability, emotion, and dimension. Noonan as every other character is impressive and is the primary reason for the films success in creating its mood of crushing day-to-day mediocrity.

The stop-motion animation is stunning, the ability of the puppets to evoke humanity incredible. Michael's dream sequence is especially effecting but ultimately the film offers little comment on its protagonist's condition other than an apathetic finality. There is no hope, no change, no transformation. Not to say all movies need these things but in this case, given the ending which the film has, what is the story's purpose, what function does it serve- seemingly none. It is more a meditation on existential futility rather than any kind of celebration or examination of the human condition or romance. Because of this it offers no closure and little fulfillment.

Eerily beautiful, a soulful vocal performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh, but lacking hope and resolution.

Rent It.