Whether an animated film resonates with me or not is often dependent on the style in which it’s created. If I don’t like to look at it, I probably won’t enjoy it, regardless of how well-crafted its story may be. It’s for this reason I was initially put off by Nuno Beato’s My Grandfather’s Demons. I didn’t care for the way it was drawn and animated, falling somewhere between wannabe Pixar and poorly executed Pixar. As it so happens, its story — something about a big city girl who’s lost touch with her countryside roots — wasn’t doing much for me either. It’s safe to say that my hopes were far from high. That is, until everything changed. My Grandfather’s Demons may begin with a whimper, but it quickly becomes an absolutely fantastic tale of loneliness, loss, and generational grudges.
This extremely welcome turnaround comes when the Portuguese director unexpectedly transforms his film’s mundane animation style from a bland hodgepodge of familiarity to one of exceptionally crafted stop-motion. On top of this, his story moves from expected cliché and freneticism to quiet contemplation, playfulness, and hallucinatory surrealism. Fans of 1985’s The Adventures of Mark Twain should take note, but so should those interested in poignant, thoughtful stories about redemption, community, and self-improvement.
Originally published by ASHEVILLE MOVIES.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.