Ever since Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film in 2001, the films of Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli have garnered much attention and fanfare. As well they should. Studio Ghibli manages to work into their film an aspect of storytelling that is mostly lost in the medium, whether through animation or live-action; heart. Miyazaki and his team find a way to pluck at the emotional heartstrings and create films that really touch even the most stoic of audiences, which is one of the reasons I enjoy their movies so much. Their latest outing, The Secret World of Arrietty, has all of the classic Ghibli magic.
The Secret World of Arrietty is the American translation of Kari-gurashi no Arrietty and is based on the 1952 children’s novels series The Borrowers by Mary Norton. Arrietty is from a race of creatures called “Borrowers”. Standing about 6 inches tall, Arrietty and her family live under the floorboards of an old country house and survive by “borrowing” items, such as a stray sugar cube, herb leaves from the garden, and old pins to use as weaponry. The borrowers home is well conceived, littered with everyday human items being used in clever, alternate ways. A pair of earrings become climbing tools, a few stray nails in the wall become a staircase, and postage stamps are wall art. The home of Arrietty and her family is a cozy, comfortable place, one in which any family would love to live, if it weren’t for the constant threat of being discovered by the human family and their housecat.
While out on a trip gathering supplies, Arrietty is seen by a sickly young boy named Shawn. Though she tries to avoid him to protect her family, Shawn longs for a friendship of any kind, consistently trying to help Arrietty and her family. The friendship between the two creatures comes off rather awkwardly at first, but it eventually evolves into something natural and believable. Given Shawn’s illness, you can understand why he would reach out to a tiny little girl who just happens to be about his own age. And Arrietty’s reaction to his friendship is understandable; she has feared “beans” (a play on the term “human beings”) her entire life, so to have contact with one would mean she and her family would be forced to find a new place to live. But as the curious little girl she is, she decides to throw caution to the wind and confront Shawn. After a rather heartbreaking conversation about the survival of Arrietty’s race and the nature of death itself, their friendship is solidified.
Though a dub of a Japanese film, the voice acting of the movie is actually well done. Arrietty is voice by Bridgit Mendler, who has done extensive work in other Disney properties such as Good Luck Charlie and Lemonade Mouth. Mendler plays Arrietty as an adorably precocious 13-year old girl. As opposed to being whiny and annoying, Arrietty is strong-willed and decisive, a rather stark contrast to Shawn. Voiced by David Henrie, best known as Selena Gomez’s old brother in Wizards of Waverly Place, Shawn is a quiet and introverted, choosing to keep to himself until he has someone to interact with. Arrietty brings out the best in Shawn, allowing Henrie a few well-earned lines. Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, and Carol Burnett round out the rest of the cast, delivering their lines in acceptable, yet forgettable, ways. Though the film won’t win awards for voice acting, it does much better than many other English-dubbed Japanese films, including a few of Ghibli’s own.
Though not the best film in the Ghibli catalog, The Secret World of Arrietty is a fun romp through the wonders of imagination. The playfulness of the characters and settings will bring a smile to the faces of audiences, but the ending has a sort of bittersweet twist to it. Kids will love the adventures of Arrietty as she tromps through the walls of the house to find supplies for her family while adults can appreciate the story of friendship woven throughout the film. If you’re a fan of Miyazaki and his films, you’ll certainly have an appreciation for The Secret World of Arrietty.
Tags: Amy Poehler, Animation, Borrowers, Bridgit Mendler, Carol Burnett, Cartoon, David Henrie, Disney, films, Hayao Miyazaki, Kari-gurashi no Arrietty, Mary Norton, Michael Wirth, movies, Review, Studio Ghibli, The Secret World of Arrietty, Will Arnett
About the Author
Written by Michael Wirth
Hailing from the armpit of America, New Jersey, Michael has been collecting comic books since the age of 10. Now, he deigns to keep his finger on the pulse of pop-culture, keeping up with every passing fad or iconic innovation, never losing sight of his comic book roots.
Great review
I have seen most of Miyazaki’s films and they’re all wonderful, albeit, some more than others. I also saw the 1997 film “The Borrowers” starring John Goodman and loved it as a kid. This should be a fun and heart-warming movie.
Awesome review Michael! I was very curious about this one. I love Miyazaki!