Mary and Max

In 1976, eight-year-old Mary Daisy Dinkle lives in Mount Waverley, Australia, feeling lonely and teased for her birthmark. She spots a New York City phone book and randomly writes to one person, Max Jerry Horowitz, sharing details about her life. This impulsive letter sets up a long-distance friendship that will span decades.

Max, a morbidly obese, Jewish atheist in New York, writes back, initiating a correspondence that grows into friendship. Both share a fondness for chocolate and a cartoon called The Noblets, which deepens their bond. The unlikely alliance begins despite the physical distance and cultural differences.

Mary asks Max about love, triggering a severe anxiety attack in him. He is hospitalized and institutionalized for eight months as a result. The distant friendship becomes a lifeline during his treatment, shaping how they relate afterward.

During his time away, Max wins the New York Lottery and buys a lifetime supply of chocolate plus the entire Noblet figurine collection. He enjoys these rewards as a rare escape from his daily anxieties. The windfall also leads him to share his wealth with others in his circle.

Max gives the remaining winnings to his elderly neighbour Ivy, who indulges herself before dying in a jet-pack-related accident. Mary, hearing of his generosity, feels as though Max has abandoned their friendship. The episode underscores the fragility of distant connections.

Max finally explains to Mary that he has Asperger syndrome, reframing their relationship from romance to intimate friendship. The letters continue for several years, bridging the distance with humor, care, and shared interests. Mary learns to see him beyond his quirks while maintaining their unique bond.

Mary's father Noel retires and takes up metal detecting, only to be swept away by a large tidal bore while on a beach. The tragedy adds to the sense of loss and distance within Mary's family. It marks another turning point in her growing independence.

As an adult, Mary attends the University of Melbourne. She has her birthmark removed and develops a crush on her neighbor Damien Popodopoulos, setting up future relationships and the complexities of her personal life. Her academic path begins to define her identity beyond childhood.

Mary's mother Vera accidentally drinks embalming fluid instead of cooking sherry, leading to her death. The event further destabilizes Mary's home life and fuels her sense of fragility. It marks a severe turning point in her family dynamic.

Mary and her neighbor Damien marry, though he is uncomfortable with intimacy. The marriage reveals the tension between emotional connection and physical closeness. It complicates her pursuit of personal happiness and professional ambitions.

Mary studies psychology and writes a doctoral dissertation about finding a cure for Asperger syndrome, using Max as her case study. Max feels exploited and cuts off contact by removing the letter M from his typewriter. The professional distance strains their long-running friendship.

Mary has the entire run of her book pulped, ending her academic career and sending her into a deep depression. She starts drinking and seeks solace in a can of condensed milk she sends to Max as an apology. Soon after, Damien reveals that he has left her for his pen pal, Desmond.

Having conquered his agoraphobia, Len informs Mary that Max has sent the Noblet figurine collection as a gesture of forgiveness. Mary delays, not knowing what to expect, while she contemplates their imperfect friendship. Max's message shows that he still values their connection.

A year after the earlier turmoil, Mary travels to New York with her infant to visit Max. She discovers him dead on his couch, smiling, with the letters Mary sent over the years taped to the ceiling above him. The scene culminates in a bittersweet acknowledgment of a friendship that endured despite distance and time.