Ma vie de Courgette

It's easy to dismiss an animated film like this that deals with the themes that this does. The film's quality, however, goes a long way towards making us realize that running time doesn't dictate how good something is. This film is short, but it packs a punch. One of its biggest strengths is that it doesn't try to fill up the running time or try to do many other turns in the storyline. It's very, very simply but as a result its themes are clearer than many other animated films' themes. It's handled with delicacy and subtlety. It's an incredibly strong film that I recommend.

"My Life as a Zucchini" was nominated for Best Animated Feature for the 2017 Academy Awards but lost to "Zootopia". It's a shame, as 2017 offered three very deserving films (I would also include "Kubo") and only one could take home the award. Perhaps my love for "My Life as a Zucchini" is influenced by my work as a social worker and therapist, as the story is a hopeful tale about children who have been shamefully abused by their parents...a common problem I had to deal with on the job.

The story begins with a child stuck in the attic of a horrible home while his mother is downstairs getting drunk and violent. When she tries to enter the attic to beat the boy, he panics and slams down the trap door...and the mother falls to her death. Soon the child is being talked to be a very kind police officer, Raymond, and he's surprised to hear that the boy's mother just called him 'Zucchini' and that's the only name he knows. Fortunately for poor little Zucchini, the man is touched by this case and regularly visits him in the children's home where he is sent to live.

As for the children's home, seven children reside in the place and they are given kindness and love. It's actually a pretty nice place, but your heart goes out to the children and the hell they've had to go through during their short lives. Most of the story is about Zucchini and how he adjusts to the place as well as his falling for a girl who arrives soon after him, Camille. And, fortunately, the picture, while VERY moving and sad, has a nice happy ending.

This is a very, very special stop-motion film. While it's very artistic and well done it is something more...it's very sweet and has a depth to it you really don't expect in animation. The Swiss film is available in both the original French language version and an English dub (which is very good) on the same DVD. Perhaps other versions are also available, but on the DVD I saw these were the two language choices. Well worth seeing...but have a Kleenex or two handy just in case.

"My Life As a Zucchini" (2016 release from Switzerland; 70 min.; original title "Ma vie de Courgette") brings the story of a 9 yr. old boy nicknamed Zucchini by his mom. As the movie opens, we see the boy playing in his attic room, as his mom drinks beer after beer while watching TV. After an unfortunate incident during which the boy accidentally causes his mom to fall off of the attic stairs, the boy is taken away to a country-side orphanage, where he has trouble fitting in with the other 5 kids. Then some time later, a new kid enters the orphanage, a girl named Camille. At this point we are maybe 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is a stop-motion animated film. I admit not being familiar with Swiss director Claude Barras, but regardless, Barras here brings a tale (based on the book "Autobiographie d'une Courgette") that cuts close to the heart about the need for love and understanding. The boy, missing his father (whom he has painted on his kite) AND his alcoholic mother (it's not clear what became of her, other that "she went away), is desperate for love and companionship as he makes his new life at the orphanage. The main characters are fully developed, with lost of nuance, and while there is quite a bit of humor in the film, the overall feeling is more bittersweet than anything. This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason and I would not recommend this for any kids younger than 9 or 10. BEWARE: the US theater release which I saw brings the movie in a dubbed version, sadly. It takes away from the charm of the movie, not to mention the originality (it's like watching the Simpsons dubbed in French if you get my drift). That point is only driven home even more so since we get , after the movie's end credits, a fake take-out of the boy being auditioned for the role, which is shown in French with subtitles, and you can immediately feel the difference in the voice characters. Shame on the US distributor for "dumbing down" the US release. Last but certainly not least, there is a delight soundtrack to this movie, courtesy of Swiss singer-songwriter Sophie Hunger (check out the heartbreaking tune that plays over the end credits). "My Life As a Zucchini" got an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature at the recent Oscars. The fact that it didn't win is besides the point, this is a top-notch quality movie, period. My only other complaint, other than the US theater release being dubbed, is that I wasn't ready to bid farewell to this film after just over an hour... (The screening was rounded out by another Swiss stop-motion animated shortie, the 8 min. delightful "The Genie In the Box of Raviolis".)

"My Life As a Zucchini" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati and I couldn't wait to see it. The Friday evening screening where I saw this at was attended poorly (only 6 people, including myself), so I imagine this will not play more than a week in the theater. If you have a chance to catch this later on Amazon Instant Video or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, I strongly recommend you do so, you won't regret it. "My Life As a Zucchini" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Icare or as he prefers, Zucchini, lives with his drunken single mother. He accidentally kills his mom and is sent to a children's home. Police officer Raymond befriends him. Simon bullies him but becomes a good friend. New girl Camille arrives and he falls for her.

This is an European stop-motion animated film. It has an unusual intriguing look. The character designs have a beautiful ugliness. My only drawback is its shorter running time. There is something odd about this inbetween length and leaves me missing something. I do like Simon's turn especially. Initially, he is a full-on bully but he turns into one of the most compelling character in the movie. The story has some real heart. This is an Oscar nominated animation.

'My Life as a Courgette' was the last of the five 2016/7 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominees viewed by me, and that it is (to me) the weakest of the nominees and still manages to be a very good film is testament to how great the other four films ('The Red Turtle', 'Kubo', 'Moana' and the winner 'Zootropolis', so very stiff competition) were.

There is not a whole lot wrong with 'My Life as a Courgette'. At just over an hour it is a little too short and it did have a story that was deserving of a longer length, and the depiction of orphanages (usually a dark and unhappy environment that people can't wait to leave) is rather rose-tinted. Otherwise, it is a beautifully done film that has much more to it than the quirky if silly title, the cute-looking characters and bright colourful visuals make out. Not classing these attributes as bad things in any way, but it is so easy hearing and seeing it advertised to get the wrong idea about 'My Life as a Courgette', thinking it will be a quirky film with children as its primary target audience, bright colours and witty humour when actually there is much to the film than that.

It is a beautifully animated film certainly. It is very vibrantly bright and colourful, with parts of truly haunting atmosphere, a vividly immersive world and meticulously detailed backgrounds and overall visuals from the little things to the bigger effects. Just as good are the eye-catching character designs that are modelled smoothly and even with the oddball looks look and behave very authentically, for characters they are very unique and charmingly unusual (what other title character has blue hair and a red nose?).

Furthermore, the music score is appropriately atmospheric and whimsical, while the writing has quirks and poignancy. The story could have benefited from a longer length but still charms, amuses and moves, with a surprisingly sober tone, while not being afraid to take risks and brave more difficult subjects with sensitivity and never heavy-handedness. This is including one of the boldest opening sequences in any animated film (perhaps the boldest since that for Disney's 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'). Everything is paced beautifully too.

Characters are very easy to warm to and have engaging, distinct personalities. Voice acting in both the American and particularly French versions is very emotive.

On the whole, beautiful film and has much more to it than one would think. 8/10 Bethany Cox