The winner of the Best Animated Film Oscar for this year was
a movie we saw and I wrote about in March of last year, “Zootopia.” This week
we saw another one of last year’s nominees, “My Life as a Zucchini,” a story
told in Claymation. The original version featured a French cast, but the movie
now showing here has an English-speaking cast that includes Will Forte, Nick
Offerman, Ellen Page, and Amy Sedaris. Like “Zootopia,” it is a film worth
seeing.
Do not be mistaken, this may be a movie about children but it is not a movie for children. The little boy at the center of the story is named
Icarus, but he goes by the name Courgette (Zucchini). He is a lonely little guy
whose father has long since abandoned the family and whose mother is a chronic
alcoholic who ignores or abuses him. A freak accident causes her death and he
is taken in as a ward of the state, where he is placed in an orphanage. But he
continues to have a relationship with the social worker who handles his case
(if you are familiar with Ron Swanson, Nick Offerman’s character from “Parks
and Recreation,” you will agree that Mr. Offerman is perfectly cast here as the
sweet heart under the somewhat gruff exterior) and also develops a kind friendship
with a girl named Camille who comes to live at the orphanage when all she has
is an aunt (voiced by Amy Sedaris) who is more interested in the girl’s
inheritance than her wellbeing. Things start out rough but Zucchini eventually
finds his voice and carves out a friendship with the bully of the group.
The story does end optimistically for Zucchini and Camille,
but you are left saddened by the realization that they were just a couple of
lucky ones in a cruel world that leaves far too many children in very sad
situations. I recognize that these foreign language films are not widely
distributed in the United States, but if you do have a chance to see it, you
should. The care and patience that go into producing a full length movie with Claymation
are awe-inspiring.
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Rebecca
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