# Welcome To Marwen - new movie based on documentary, Marwencol **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212 "2018-11-28T16:11:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/21 "2018-12-20T22:31:48Z")
Bummed about the reviews. I wanted to ask if anyone else thinks there is something “off” with the main poster? Linked here- [https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjr6d2muq\_fAhVJVK0KHSeKB1YQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt3289724%2F&psig=AOvVaw1D9qY4A9acUgCQVgXc\_WUI&ust=1545431282834396](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjr6d2muq_fAhVJVK0KHSeKB1YQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt3289724%2F&psig=AOvVaw1D9qY4A9acUgCQVgXc_WUI&ust=1545431282834396) For me it’s the real Carrell’s shoes like…knowing the true story, was the original poster concept showing Carrell in high-heels? It just seems weird for him to be in short jeans, no socks and wearing …what are those? Moccasins? But they decided to back off on that in the poster? I remember the original trailer made no mention of the hate crime part of the story (was glad to see that rectified in later versions of the trailer). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/22 "2018-12-20T23:17:47Z")
My understanding is that while the documentary saved the motivation for Hogancamp’s attack until late into the film, as a twist, the feature film addresses it up front at the beginning of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/23 "2018-12-20T23:50:47Z")
Is anyone here familiar with the real-life story behind the movie? My understandings that he built this model village in the backyard of his house in Kingston, NY. How did he protect the model from the weather? (Or even from a dog that wandered through.) ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/24 "2018-12-21T15:32:32Z")
I haven’t seen anything about him in a while, but my recollection is that it isn’t really protected from the weather but just built to survive outdoors. The real Marwencol is built a bit more roughly than the version in the movie, I think. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/25 "2018-12-21T21:49:16Z")
Jezebel has collected the snarkiest lines from the bad Marwen reviews: > **['You Can't Help Thinking of Michael Scott': The Best of the Bad Welcome to...](https://jezebel.com/you-cant-help-thinking-of-michael-scott-the-best-of-th-1831256495)** > > Perhaps you’ve gone to the movies recently and been confronted with the trailer for a film titled Welcome to Marwen and thought, What in god’s name is this movie about? ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/26 "2018-12-21T22:20:30Z")
This is one of those examples of something I never heard of that suddenly turns up everywhere. Well maybe not everywhere, but it was in my bookbub email this morning. On sale for $2.99, if anyone is interested. [https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Marwencol-Mark-Hogancamp-ebook/dp/B01320NM5E?\_bbid=11188299&tag=bookbubemail10-20](https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Marwencol-Mark-Hogancamp-ebook/dp/B01320NM5E?_bbid=11188299&tag=bookbubemail10-20) ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/27 "2018-12-24T17:13:54Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Is anyone here familiar with the real-life story behind the movie? My understandings that he built this model village in the backyard of his house in Kingston, NY. How did he protect the model from the weather? (Or even from a dog that wandered through.) My recollection from the documentary is that he doesn’t protect them from the weather and some of the village buildings were damaged and in disrepair. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/28 "2018-12-24T23:15:53Z")
[Peeeeeewwwwwww boommmmm](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/welcome-marwen-flops-career-low-203352923.html) Marwen has only made $2.4 million so far. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/29 "2018-12-24T23:48:40Z")
Oh, wow, I saw the documentary. Had no idea they were making a movie like this. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/30 "2018-12-25T00:34:20Z")
I saw it yesterday, without having seen the earlier documentary or read the reviews beforehand. I have mixed feelings; I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It has its flaws, one of which is that it’s too slow-moving, at least at times; but it’s an interesting attempt. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2018, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/31 "2018-12-25T06:50:35Z")
there gonna lose 50 mil …… [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/steve-carell%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98welcome-to-marwen%E2%80%99-to-lose-dollar50-million-at-box-office/ar-BBRo881?li=BBnbfcL) ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2018, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/32 "2018-12-25T09:16:51Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > there gonna lose 50 mil Others disagree–and think it will be $60 milliion: > **[Why ‘Welcome To Marwen’ Was Unwelcome At The Box Office: Robert Zemeckis Pic...](https://deadline.com/2018/12/welcome-to-marwen-bombs-at-box-office-will-lose-60m-1202525686/)** > > 'Welcome To Marwen' will lose $60 million at the box office. Read here to find out why. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/33 "2018-12-26T03:08:25Z")
I haven’t seen this and don’t plan to (I have seen parts of the documentary). But I came just to wonder: how did they think this could possibly make any money at its budget level? I could see making it for five or ten million and doing an indie marketing campaign, but they went full Hollywood here and of COURSE they are going to take a bath. Anyone with common sense could have told them there was no commercial potential here. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/34 "2018-12-26T11:09:18Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I haven’t seen this and don’t plan to (I have seen parts of the documentary). But I came just to wonder: how did they think this could possibly make any money at its budget level? Do you think they were gambling on getting lots of Oscar publicity? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/35 "2018-12-26T14:30:25Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I haven’t seen this and don’t plan to (I have seen parts of the documentary). But I came just to wonder: how did they think this could possibly make any money at its budget level? I could see making it for five or ten million and doing an indie marketing campaign, but they went full Hollywood here and of COURSE they are going to take a bath. Anyone with common sense could have told them there was no commercial potential here. William Goldman (screenwriter of Marathon Man, The Princess Bride and All The President’s Men) famously said, “Nobody knows anything. Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work. Every time out it’s a guess—and, if you’re lucky, an educated one.” This film, for example, was written and directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Steve Carell and Leslie Mann. It was based on a documentary that was very well-received. There was no reason to think it would fail. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/36 "2018-12-26T16:20:25Z")
It’s true that no one can ever be certain that a movie will be a hit. But I don’t believe Goldman was asserting that it’s necessarily impossible or even terribly difficult to predict that certain ideas have an uphill climb. A movie with this clunky name and premise would have to be extraordinarily good (inspiring glowing reviews and strong word of mouth) to make significant money. Lots of other types of movies can make money without having the same bar to clear. And I question whether “based on a well-regarded documentary” is typically a path to grossing $200 million domestically (as this would have to, to unambiguously count as having been a shrewd gamble). I can’t think of examples, but I concede that I may simply be unaware of them. (I note that Carell was previously in a drama based on a doc, a 2015 release called “Freeheld” that did only $1.7M of business on a $7M budget.) As for Carell, he has had big comedic hits. But in the past five years he has appeared in several dramas, with less box office success. The only one that looks like a modestly successful performer is “The Big Short”, but that also starred Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, and Ryan Gosling, so it isn’t tenable to give Carell credit. And while the others all look like various degrees of box office failure, they were at least made on significantly smaller budgets. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Do you think they were gambling on getting lots of Oscar publicity? I suppose, but it seems like they could have made that play for a much lower price tag, and therefore with far less risk. (Carell’s “Foxcatcher” got lots of Oscar buzz, but only made back $19 million of its $24M budget.) ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/37 "2018-12-26T16:29:04Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > 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. I agree. You could not pay me to go see this. Cloying and treacle are perfect descriptions. Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/38 "2018-12-26T17:32:27Z")
seems like if they want to spend $200 mil on a movie just make it Spiderman #43 or Batman #56 or Star Wars #18 and they will rake in the money . that seems like a sure path to cash except in a few cases. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/39 "2018-12-26T17:53:42Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > seems like if they want to spend $200 mil on a movie just make it Spiderman #43 or Batman #56 or Star Wars #18 and they will rake in the money . that seems like a sure path to cash except in a few cases. They DO do that, but you can’t release 3 Batman & Spiderman movies in the same year. I’ve got to agree that this seems like a pretty quirky story to attach to a $100M+ budget. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212/40 "2018-12-26T17:54:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > William Goldman (screenwriter of Marathon Man, The Princess Bride and All The President’s Men) famously said, “Nobody knows anything. Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work. Every time out it’s a guess—and, if you’re lucky, an educated one.” This film, for example, was written and directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Steve Carell and Leslie Mann. It was based on a documentary that was very well-received. There was no reason to think it would fail. 100% agree. The post this was based on is made safely from the POV of hindsight. Make that prediction on a yet to be released movie and I’ll be impressed. I’m not a Zemeckis fan, but on paper this one looked good. Other people thought so as well. Check out the first several posts in this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-marwen-new-movie-based-on-documentary-marwencol/825212.md?page=3)