12-22-2018, 04:17 PM
Welcome to Marwen, the new film by Robert Zemeckis and starring Steve Carrell opens up this weekend. It was based on the documentary Marwenco.
Basically, Mark gets beat up by at a bar in his hometown that causes serious brain damage. His medical coverage runs out and he turns to dolls to help him work through his recovery. His photographs of the dolls in the World War 2 Belgium town of Marwenco end up get attention from a local photographer who sends them to an art magazine who gets him a gallery show.
The film is very cinema verite, maybe along the lines of Grey Gardens where it follows Mark around as he builds this fantasy world to help him get over the attack. All his neighbors and friends end up as doll representations in the town. It's fascinating. Mark is still pretty damaged. Oddly enough some of the secrets of Mark's life are revealed which led to the attack in the bar.
Towards the end, there is almost an inception like moment in the world of Marwenco which I particularly enjoyed. The movie is a bit slow. There were too many shots of Mark taking photographs. But you have to be amazed at the level of detail that Mark has put into the world. And if you want there as least an hour more of outtakes and stories from Marwenco on the DVD.
The thing that gave me hope is that the film was shot on a home video camera and has that home movie feel.
Now, people who love the documentary hate the movie. They feel it glossed over and glamorized Mark's struggle. Tomorrow or Monday, I'm going to compare for myself.
Basically, Mark gets beat up by at a bar in his hometown that causes serious brain damage. His medical coverage runs out and he turns to dolls to help him work through his recovery. His photographs of the dolls in the World War 2 Belgium town of Marwenco end up get attention from a local photographer who sends them to an art magazine who gets him a gallery show.
The film is very cinema verite, maybe along the lines of Grey Gardens where it follows Mark around as he builds this fantasy world to help him get over the attack. All his neighbors and friends end up as doll representations in the town. It's fascinating. Mark is still pretty damaged. Oddly enough some of the secrets of Mark's life are revealed which led to the attack in the bar.
Towards the end, there is almost an inception like moment in the world of Marwenco which I particularly enjoyed. The movie is a bit slow. There were too many shots of Mark taking photographs. But you have to be amazed at the level of detail that Mark has put into the world. And if you want there as least an hour more of outtakes and stories from Marwenco on the DVD.
The thing that gave me hope is that the film was shot on a home video camera and has that home movie feel.
Now, people who love the documentary hate the movie. They feel it glossed over and glamorized Mark's struggle. Tomorrow or Monday, I'm going to compare for myself.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm