Welcome To Marwen - new movie based on documentary, Marwencol

Cafe Society
#1

I remember learning about the documentary film Marwencol from reading about it here on the SDMB, I think. I watched it way back then and really liked it. It showed a very unusual and interesting situation. The story is in some ways joyful and in other ways very sad.

I searched and didn’t see any threads devoted to it. I did find mentions of it in this thread: https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15586493#post15586493

Also several mentions of it in this thread: https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=657732&highlight=marwencol
I recently saw that there is a new movie coming out soon based on Marwencol. It’s a dramatization of the story, starring Steve Carell and co-starring some other well-known actors (Leslie Mann, Janelle Monae, Diane Kruger, Gwendoline Christie). From the trailer, it appears that some of the actors are portraying the characters/dolls of Marwencol and will appear as CGI animated versions of themselves.

Here is a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6dy7xQ8NeE

I never would have imagined Marwencol being adapted into a Hollywood feature film, but I like what I’ve seen for the most part. I just hope they haven’t overdone it with the “action” scenes shown in the trailer.

I rarely see movies in the theater anymore, but I might trek out to catch this one.

#2

There are several trailers, cut different ways to pair with various genres of film. The “action” one is OK, but the one I saw before a serious drama honestly moved me to tears.

The film is at the top of my list.

#3

Straight to the fucking top of my list. Thank you both for this thread. Dear Og that looks like an amazing film. Yes, the trailer moved me to tears.

#4

That one split the difference between the “action” and the “heartstrings” version. If the final film is half as good as the trailer, it’s going to be astonishing, and Steve Carell is going to be nominated for Best Actor.

#5

The documentary is very good. I am looking forward to seeing this adaptation.

#6

I first saw a trailer for this back in July, and I recently started seeing television ads for it. It looks amazing. I’m definitely planning to see this! And now I will also try to find the documentary (it isn’t on Netflix anymore).

#7

Robert Zemeckis doesn’t get half of the praise he deserves.

#8

This one is on my must see list!

#9

Welcome to Marwen - Official Trailer 2 is the one I watched.

#10

Yeah, Zemeckis directing this has me optimistic. I think Carell is great, too, with the right role.

I want to watch the documentary again, but I’ll wait until I’ve seen the new movie first. I don’t remember the courtroom “face your attackers” issue shown in the trailers being in the documentary, but it’s been a long time so I might be forgetting. Anyone remember if that was in the doc?

#11

It’s now three days before WTM’s release date, but there are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. It looks like the movie wasn’t screened for reviewers, so don’t be surprised if it turns out to be a stinker.

#12

Don’t you say that; don’t put that bad juju out there, Rocket!

#13

I guess I am the dissenter here because I think the trailer looks incredibly bad–horrible visuals, cloying sentimentality, heavy-handed “uplift”, and lame-brain comedic moments.

This looks like the kind of treacle bullshit that Robin Williams (RIP) would subject us to regularly in the second half of the career: Jack, Patch Adams, Bicentennial Man, Jakob the Liar. Well-meaning but wholly unbearable.

And Robert Forrest Gump Zemeckis is incapable of handling any difficult material with a modicum of subtlety or sensitivity. We had to suffer through his post-Oscar “uncanny valley” phase (the animated Polar Express, Beowulf, A Christmas Carol) and now he’s clearly moved on to “Let’s make a completely unnecessary dramatic remake of an excellent documentary”, first with The Walk (which is pale, anemic, and soulless compared to the magnificent Man on Wire) and now this turdburger. Any excuse to deliver some gratuitous whiz-bang, gee-golly special effects.

If it’s good in any way, it will be a miracle.

#14

I was amused that the trailer describes this as “the most original film of the year” as well as “based on an inspirational true story”.

#15

I will say that the presence of Janelle Monae did put me off a bit.

#16

Yeah, still nothing as of this AM.

OTOH, there was one movie released recently (I forget which) that had the same deal and it turned out to have a positive rating.

#17

Some reviews coming out and they’re not looking good so far:

Disappointing. I’ll still see it at some point, but I’ll probably wait for it to hit video.

#18

I’m not surprised.

ISTM that they have saturated us with trailers for this for the last 6 months. For a prestige picture like this (A list director and star), that is often a sign that they think it doesn’t have “legs”, meaning it will not see repeat business or good word of mouth leading to a long stay in the theaters. Instead, by bombarding us with marketing they hope to get a good opening weekend and then let it die a quick death once word gets out.

#19

I’d like to correct that to more like the “middle half of his career.” The last decade and change still had some clunkers (RV, Old Dogs, etc) but he mostly got away from the treacle after the 90s and did some pretty damn good work in some pretty damn weird movies.

But, yeah, this looks really disappointing to me. The trailers have way too much of a glossy, polished, made-for-TV look to everything and Carell just seems like he’s angry and has some PTSD that he’s self-awarely working through by playing with dolls. The drama of Marwencol, to me, came from the profound depth of trauma that Hogancamp suffered and the way his project seemed almost like an unstoppable manifestation of the trauma that he found a measure of healing through controlling. I really, really doubt they can pull it off.

The fact that the trailers seemed both inconsistent with each other and overly by-the-book doesn’t make me feel any better.

#20

Well, the movie opens today so they can’t fend off reviews anymore and RT is currently at 16% (with 19 reviews in). That’s worse than Venom or Mortal Engines and currently puts it in the same league as the most recent Robin Hood.