Overview
A unique friendship blossoms through letters, bridging the gap between two lonely souls.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sardonic
- melancholic
- tender
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as lovingly crafted, inventive stop-motion animation whose dry wit and technical artistry are matched by its emotional resonance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mary and Max's twenty-year relationship develops primarily through their exchanged letters across Australia and New York.
Mary's sepia suburban Australia contrasts with Max's black, white, and gray Manhattan, reflecting their distinct inner lives.
The film combines dry wit with loneliness, bullying, mental illness, alcoholism, and the characters' persistent need for connection.
An Australian child and an isolated New Yorker sustain an intimate bond across national, generational, and social distance.
Films like Mary and Max, and why
Anomalisa
stop-motion animation, bittersweet friendship, and outsider characters treated with dark wit and emotional candor
The House
adult stop-motion storytelling, melancholy humor, and intimate focus on loneliness and human connection
Persepolis
poignant animated coming-of-age drama centered on social alienation, family difficulty, and fragile friendship
Movie Details
- Director
- Adam Elliot
- Release Date
- 2009-04-09
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (2339)
Cast
- Toni Collette
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Barry Humphries
- Eric Bana
- Bethany Whitmore
- Renée Geyer
- Ian 'Molly' Meldrum
- John Flaus
- Julie Forsyth
- Christopher Massey
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mary and Max about?
- A lonely Australian girl and an isolated New Yorker discover an enduring, darkly funny lifeline in a decades-long exchange of letters.
- What is Mary and Max like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mary and Max as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Mary and Max violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Mary and Max.
- What did critics think of Mary and Max?
- Critics broadly praised the film as lovingly crafted, inventive stop-motion animation whose dry wit and technical artistry are matched by its emotional resonance.
- Which films are like Mary and Max?
- Films with a similar feel include Anomalisa, The House, and Persepolis.
- How long is Mary and Max?
- Mary and Max runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mary and Max?
- In United States, Mary and Max streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
