Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
Keiko Niwa
Starring: Saoirse Ronan
Tom Holland
Olivia Colman
Mark Strong
Phyllida Law
Geraldine McEwan
Luke Allen-Gale
Rating: ****
Release Date: 29/07/12
Arrietty is the latest release from the marvellous Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio behind many spectacular films, including 'Oscar winning' Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo. Due to it's high volume of successful and breathtaking animated movies, it is regarded as the Japanese version of Disney. For Arrietty, writer (and acclaimed Ghibli director) Hayao Miyazaki has adapted Mary Norton's The Borrowers, and the film itself is being helmed by first-time director Hiromasa Yonebayashi.
This film is so stunningly gorgeous to look at and deeply touching as a story, it is quite possibly the best animated film since Toys Story 3. We follow a family of tiny people, or Borrowers, that live under the floorboards of an old-fashioned cottage just outside of Tokyo. There's the stern but caring father, Pod
(Strong), the doting and constantly on-edge mother, Homily (Colman)
and the adventurous, 14-year-old Arrietty herself (Ronan). They live their lives in secret, but every now and then they must venture above ground to "borrow" from the human beings, only small things of course, so they don't alert the aforementioned human beings. The Human beings that live in the cottage they reside under are, a caring older lady, Sadoko (Law) and her eccentric maid Haru (McEwan).
Sho (Holland), is a small boy with a heart condition who is awaiting a serious operation. He is staying with his aunt Sadako when he spots Arrietty and her father in his bedroom, whilst they are doing a bit of borrowing. For Sho, whose ill health has meant a life of seclusion from other children, the meeting is an extremeley important and poignant one. Aunt Sadako had always spoken of the house's mysterious secret inhabitants before, but their appearence gives Sho the chance to bond with the open-minded Arrietty. Unfortunately, maid Haru isn't as welcoming and sets it upon herself to rid the house of these pesky people.
Arrietty's intricate and complex design is enhanced superbly by an excellent English-language dub and emotive music from Cécile Corbel. The impressive sound work that is used also enhances the movie, just by adding even the subtlest of sounds; such as the tick-tocking of a grandfather clock that echoes through the silence while Pod and Arrietty are on their borrowing adventures. Whilst Arrietty lacks some of the excitement that is often prominent in previous Studio Ghibli films, it is still packed with the humour and quirky charm that's a signature of Miyazaki.
Director Yonebayashi does a smart and wonderful job at mixing the feeling of wonder and fear so brillianty, setting these tiny characters in such huge surroundings. The scene when a crow smashes through a
window, its beak furiously snapping in search of Arrietty, is
particularly memorable, as is Sho's pet cat, a frequent obstacle and enemy of the miniature people. The usual Ghibli themes of friendship, trust, nature
and outsiders all give Arrietty a solid emotional core. It's pretty much impossible not to be moved as Sho rips out the kitchen from a
doll's house, to give to his new-found friends, just saying. The boy may be suffering from a weak heart, but this film is full of it and has plenty to go around for all.
Arrietty - Trailer
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