Movie Review - My Life as a Zucchini

My Life as a Zucchini (Ma vie de courgette) (2016)

Directed by Claude Barras

***This film is currently streaming via Netflix***

I'm a sucker for stop-motion animation and while My Life as a Zucchini may at first glance seem a slightly rudimentary entry into the genre, its colorful yet simplistic visual aesthetic helps to amplify and emphasize the heartfelt story on display that is pretty darn deep for an animated film.  Sure, there have been animated movies that are squarely aimed at adults and obviously there are animated films that simply try to win over kids, but finding that balance between the two is always a difficult task (elevated often in the past decade or two by Pixar).  My Life as a Zucchini finds that balance, and while I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under the age of twelve, it shows that the genre can tell heartfelt stories that appeal across all demographics.

Courgette (voiced by Gaspard Schlatter) is a nine year-old boy who spends most of the time in the attic of his house trying to avoid his alcoholic mother who has been despondent and nasty ever since her husband left her.  A tragic accident ends her life and Courgette is sent to live at an orphanage where he meets a unique group of kids who all have faced similar hardships in life.  Courgette's friendships with this group and his burgeoning parent/child-style relationship with police officer Raymond (Michel Vuillermoz) form the basis of the plot, of which, admittedly, there isn't much of so to speak.

That lack of plot does make My Life as a Zucchini drag a bit in spots -- and considering its minimal 65-minute runtime that's a bit of a surprise -- but director/co-writer Claude Barras' film still works because it doesn't shy away from the realistic, though oftentimes sad story it's telling.  The quirky animation design matches the quirkiness of the characters onscreen, providing a visually engaging film the entire time.  My Life as a Zucchini isn't a perfect animated film, but it's an admirable entry into the genre that proves to be definitely worth seeing.

Note:  This film was viewed in its original French language release.  An American-dubbed version is apparently available as well.

The RyMickey Rating:  B