Mary and Max
In 1976 Melbourne, a lonely 8-year-old girl strikes up a correspondence with an unlikely pen pal: a severely obese 44-year-old New Yorker with Asperger's syndrome.
Directed by Adam Elliot · Animation · Comedy · Drama · 92 min · 2009
Trailer
Director
Adam Elliot
Writer
Adam Elliot
Studio
Screen Australia / Melodrama Pictures / Film Victoria / SBS Television Australia / Adirondack Pictures
Release
09 Apr 2009
Runtime
92 min
Genres
Animation, Comedy, Drama
Full Plot
In the mid-1970's, a homely, friendless Australian girl of 8 picks a name out of a Manhattan phone book and writes to him; she includes a chocolate bar. She's Mary Dinkle, the only child of an alcoholic mother and a distracted father. He's Max Horowitz, an overweight man with Asperger's, living alone in New York. He writes back, with chocolate. Thus begins a 20-year correspondence, interrupted by a stay in an asylum and a few misunderstandings. Mary falls in love with a neighbor, saves money to have a birthmark removed and deals with loss. Max has a friendship with a neighbor, tries to control his weight, and finally gets the dream job. Will the two ever meet face to face?
Cast & Characters
Mary Daisy Dinkle
Toni Collette
Max Jerry Horowitz
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Damien Popodopoulos
Eric Bana
the Narrator
Barry Humphries
Young Mary.
Bethany Whitmore
Vera Lorraine Dinkle.
Renée Geyer
Homeless Man.
Ian "Molly" Meldrum
Lincoln (uncredited).
Michael Ienna
additional voices.
Julie Forsyth, John Flaus, Christopher Massey, Shaun Patten, Leanne Smith and Carolyn Shakespeare-Allen
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $8.2M, Mary and Max has grossed $1.7M worldwide — about 0.2x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Mary and Max grossed $1,444,617 at the Australian box office.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
According to the opening credits, the film is based on a true story.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Mary and Max holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (199,582 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (199,582 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mary and Max's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Mary and Max holds a 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Mary and Max's IMDb rating?+
Mary and Max has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 199,582 votes.
What is Mary and Max's Metacritic score?+
Mary and Max has a Metascore of 72/100 on Metacritic.
Is Mary and Max good? What are critics saying?+
Mary and Max holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (199,582 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Mary and Max?+
Mary and Max has a runtime of 92 min.
Who directed Mary and Max?+
Mary and Max was directed by Adam Elliot.
Where can I watch Mary and Max?+
Mary and Max is available to stream, rent, or buy on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV Channel , AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "Mary and Max" appears to be mixed, with some finding it unusual and intriguing due to its portrayal of an awkward interaction between two strangers from different walks of life. Reviewers suggest that the film can be both sad (for the main character) and thought-provoking (in its exploration of human relationships).
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Mary and Max- Am I sad or happy? Am I philosopher? It's hard to understand weird people. Oh, actually, I'm weird. It's hard to understand normal people. I've been depressed for a great deal of time. Not depressed like: ”oh, I'm not feeling okay now. But everything is okay”. It's…
Asa_movies · 10/10
