Movie Review: “Welcome to Marwen” (PG-13)
This is the second time in the last three years that the great Robert Zemeckis (“Back to the Future,” “Forrest Gump”) has set out to tell the true story of an individual whose life was covered to stronger affect in a documentary. The first time was in 2015’s “The Walk,” a recreation of Philippe Petit’s infamous tightrope walk from one twin tower to the other back in the ’70s — subject matter that was thoroughly covered in James Marsh’s exceptional 2008 doc, “Man on Wire.” This time, it’s “Welcome to Marwen,” which delves into the life of hate crime victim Mark Hogancamp — terrain that was covered in Jeff Malmberg’s insightful 2010 doc, “Marwencol.”
In “Welcome to Marwen,” Steve Carell takes on the role of Mark Hogancamp, a man whose life would be turned completely upside down after a vicious hate crime outside a bar nearly claimed his life. After suffering brain trauma, a reclusive Hogancamp would attempt to deal with his PTSD through a most therapeutic endeavor. He would go on to create a miniature World War II village in his back yard and use the meticulously crafted setting and its doll residents to cope with painful issues stemming from the attack.
Unlike the documentary, though, Zemeckis uses every magic trick in his arsenal to put viewers inside Hogancamp’s head space. In “Welcome to Marwen,” we don’t simply hear Hogancamp talk about how the creation of Marwen has helped him through the most difficult time in his life; we straight-up experience it through Zemeckis’ own take on fantasy land.
Whenever Hogancamp is struggling or on the verge of having a meltdown, he slips into the shoes of alter ego Cap’n Hoagie, a fearless soldier whose main goal is to keep Marwen safe from evil forces. But he doesn’t do it alone. He does it through the aid of a team of equally fearless women inspired by a handful of individuals Cap’n Hoagie cares most about in the real world (including Merritt Wever, Janelle Monae, Gwendoline Christie, Eiza Gonzalez, and Leslie Mann).
“Welcome to Marwen” definitely has issues, but it’s far from being the bad movie some would would have you believe. This film has taken quite a beating both critically and at the box office, and while it’s certainly problematic in terms of overall execution, its brilliant technical attributes alone make it worth watching. Seriously, the visuals in this picture are astonishing. From the detailed recreation of Marwen itself to the startling fashion in which these sometimes creepy but lifelike dolls resemble their flesh-and-blood counterparts, there’s no doubt that that Zemeckis is a technical master. This legendary storyteller even finds a couple of opportunities to throw in a few weird but oddly enjoyable “Back to the Future” references along the way.
In terms of performance, Carell has proven that he isn’t just a funny guy. He has dramatic chops as well (see his work in “Foxcathcher” and “Dan in Real Life”). While he brings plenty of humanity to the table here, one can’t help but wonder what someone like Tom Hanks or the late Robin Williams might have brought to the table. Still, Carell is good here. He actually shines most when he’s sharing the screen with an undeniably likable and compassionate Wever and a luminous and charming Mann. The chemistry on both fronts works to the movie’s advantage for entirely different reasons.
“Weclome to Marwen” sometimes lacks focus and sufficient secondary character development, and the fantasy elements of the picture often tend to take away from the hard-hitting nature of this film’s more important messages — most notably acceptance, being one’s self, the power of storytelling, and the palpable struggles that affect those suffering from PTSD. Additionally, there are moments in this picture, such as a pivotal courtroom scene in which Hogancamp must face his vicious attackers, that feel like they should have packed a stronger emotional punch. Still, the performances, the technical majesty on display, and a stirring Alan Silvestri score help make up for the film’s shortcomings. Further props to a bittersweet but honest ending that provides a sense of hope as Hogancamp learns that life must go on, even when we don’t necessarily get what we want most. More importantly, though, he learns that sometimes what’s most important was always there to begin with.
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