Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Welcome to Marwen is a comedic drama that follows the true story of artist Mark Hogancamp.
In 2000, Mark Hogancamp is nearly beaten to death by white supremacists after drunkingly telling the men he likes to wear women’s shoes. After multiple days in a coma, Hogancamp has lost all memories prior to the attack and has suffered brain damage. To create his own memories, Hogancamp builds a miniature Belgian town named Marwen. Marwen is inhabited by (dolls) Captain Hogie and the women of Marwen. The dolls all correspond to Hogancamp and the women that have helped him since the attack. While coping with post-traumatic stress disorder and memory loss, Hogancamp finds comfort in his friends and Marwen. However, with the sentencing hearing of his attackers and his art showcase approaching Hogancamp becomes overwhelmed with stress and fear. With the help of his friends and the support of the women of Marwen, Hogancamp courageously faces his fears.
Welcome to Marwen has received mixed reviews with audiences enjoying the Zemeckis film more than critics. My personal views regarding films are always my own and sometimes can coincide with critics or audiences. In the case of Welcome to Marwen, I side with audiences. This was a visually appealing film with a gut-wrenching and uplifting story. The story is enhanced using live-action scenes of events taking place in Hogancamp’s life leading up to the sentencing hearing and art showcase, as well as the stop-motion animation used for the scenes portraying war-torn Marwen. The visuals are extremely well done with beautiful graphics and intense action.
It is absolutely horrifying what happened to Mark Hogancamp and it is easy to see the trauma and pain felt through Carell’s incredible performance. However, there are so many uplifting and incredible moments where Hogancamp and Hogie are helped by their remarkable friends, in real life and in the stop-motion animation world of Marwen. I was extremely pleased with the cast selection, but I absolutely love the characters. There is an optimism throughout the film as Hogancamp is assisted and cared for by the women around him. The same can be said for Hogie and the bad ass women of Marwen.
Welcome to Marwen is a glaring example that you can’t allow reviews to prevent you from seeing a film (I realize there’s an irony in this statement seeing as this is a review itself). I absolutely enjoyed this film and would recommend it to anyone. It’s incredibly uplifting and is a story that deserves to be heard.
