Drop Everything Now, and See Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

"Guess Why I Smile A Lot. Uh, Cause It’s Worth It," says Marcel the Shell, a one-inch shell who peers through his rose-colored glasses to appreciate life for all it has to offer. Marcel was not introduced to fans in 2022; however, the three-minute short film compiled by comedian Jenny Slate and husband at the time, Dean Fleisher-Camp, stole Youtube’s heart in the ripe year of 2010. Amassing over thirty-three million views, the duo took center stage to continue Marcel’s story through a feature film. As such a small shell in a big world, the opportunities to add to Marcel’s personality were endless, nevertheless, they did not disappoint. 

The film takes place before the infamous short film is posted, and Fleisher-Camp moves into his Air-B-N-B, aka, Marcel’s home. The couple, who previously lived there, had toxic conversations that ended in the man accidentally taking the entirety of Marcel’s community, except for him and his grandmother, Nana Connie.  This community, or what Marcel refers as to his family, consisted of shells of all shapes and colors, Cheetos, and even, yes, a tampon. Within this home, they created a city full of music, and of course, ice skating. Their nights were spent gathered around a window watching 60 Minutes with none other than Lesley Stahl. 

Marcel the Shell is a reflection of innocence, his squeaky voice recognizable from miles away and a testament to his child-like personality. However, with the help of Fleisher-Camp’s budding passion for documentary filmmaking, the hunt for Marcel’s family is on, and so is his innocence. Regardless of Marcel’s tight bond with his Nana Connie, her health is slowly declining, and it is difficult to provide for two people without a bustling community. After Fleisher-Camp posted the renowned short film starring Marcel, Marcel’s teddy-bear-esque personality was recognized by fans of all sorts. 

All Marcel wanted to do was find his family, but suddenly, everyone just wanted to see Marcel. Fans were buying merchandise with Marcel’s face on it, reciting his famous one-liners, and even showing up to the Air-B-N-B featured in the Youtube videos. Marcel recognizes the two-dimensionality social media faces––people say one thing but mean the other. Even though Marcel appreciated the fans’ enthusiasm, they were no help in finding his family. This part of the movie was moving as it highlighted how relevant performative activism is, or the opposite––how individuals believe whatever they see on the internet. 

Despite the duo’s intense attempt to get in contact with the missing tribe, they were unsuccessful, until their lord and savior Lesley Stahl from 60 Minutes asks for an interview with Marcel himself. At this point in the film, we see Marcel’s grandma slowly decline. She is no longer eating her food or tending to her garden, and an unfortunate fall off the washing machine caused a crack in her shell. In turn, Marcel is hesitant to accept this interview as he prioritizes Nana Connie over himself. During the interview which he eventually takes, his Grandmother passes away. Marcel has been experiencing both a rapid sense of grief, the loss of his family, and one that is more prolonged. The passing of Nana Connie is the cherry on top of Marcel’s need to find his family, fully focus on the future, and accept his grand sense of wisdom and maturity. Over the course of the film’s climax, it is revealed that Marcel finds his family through the power of community, and networking. The audience is blessed with the reunification of Marcel’s parents, and friends and everyone enjoys their time ice skating on a sheet of dust, rather than ice. The film ends with Marcel reflecting on this journey and his experience with love and loss, coincidentally sitting on the washing machine that once filled him with such fear.

 

After a stressful week, I went into this film anticipating an hour and a half of relaxation. Seeing as the film received a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I am a fan of short films, this film was right up my alley. Nevertheless, leaving the theater with my eyes filled with tears led me to a greater reflection of myself, my relationship with my family, and how grief is not represented by a singular person dying. On the surface, this film seems like a character’s journey to find their family, but on the inside, the truth behind social media and loss is revealed––validating the viewer’s experiences through the one and only, Marcel the Shell.