Welcome To Marwen Review

With the holidays the last couple of weeks, I haven't had much time to see any films in the theater, but this was on my radar. Welcome to Marwen came off to me as an interesting movie, part of it thanks to Robert Zemeckis. I've loved a number of the director's films that includes Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump and a few others. It's a surprisingly well made movie that has flopped in theaters. Very unfortunate because Zemeckis' idea of visual effects is done in a way to have a story within a story.

Based on a true story, Steve Carell plays Mark Hogancamp, a man who was brutally attacked by five guys to within an inch of his life. He has no recollection of his past and it's a struggle every day now living in upstate New York. That being said, he does have friends of his own, mostly in women who understand his pain. One thing he has been into is a town he has created called Marwen. A fictional town in Belgium during World War II, he has a version of himself who fights Nazis along with a handful of women, all based on ones he knows personally or during his time recuperating from his attack. He takes pictures to capture what he envisions and has a very active imagination in what he sees out of his piece of paradise.

Zemeckis and Caroline Thompson create these two stories to get the sense of what Hogancamp was feeling at times and what he had with what went on in Marwen. They bring a lot of emotions to the guy. Marwen is his way of coping and making sure no one is to ever get hurt. At the same time, it also brings out the worst as it gives Hogancamp nightmares and painful memories. Almost, it comes off as hallucination with some of the scenes. Also, it does come off as PTSD. Not just when doing things with his fictional town, but having to deal with his attackers in court and hearing about the incident. They don't sugar coat it. They create a deep amount of fear and being scared.

Visually, it doesn't go overboard. It is probably one of Zemeckis' biggest use of special and visual effects in any of his live action efforts since Roger Rabbit and Back to the Future Part II. This isn't used as an excuse. Much like Back to the Future, it adds to the story and makes it less of a popcorn flick. Carell is excellent as Hogancamp. Much of the cast did a great job as well. There is a little bit of comedy every once in a while with the Marwen scenes, but this is purely a drama. And they get their points across without dragging on.

There isn't much to complain about. It may come off as being a little childish, but it's Hogancamp's way of coping and doing other stuff since being attacked. Maybe it's a bit corny at times in the Marwen scenes, but it may or may not be for everyone. If this is still playing in theaters, I would try to see it before they pull it out. Very solid, and I'd say a must watch.

Score: 7.5 out of 10