Review: Arrietty

It’s not advisable to place your faith in actors, directors or even studios (e.g. auteur theory), not simply because it’s biased but it raises an extremely important point: With so much devotion to a single artist, how can you expect to conjure any kind of discerning conclusion?
Studio Ghibli’s near-squeaky clean critical track record (with exception to the dreary Ocean Waves) can inspire confidence and doubt in equal measure, blurring the line between balanced opinion and hyperbole. Ghibli’s output is certainly the most agreeable of any animation studio’s fare, beautifully animated and adequately family friendly. It could be said that its films are perhaps too morally conscientious; Hayao Miyazaki uses his films to put forward his progressive agenda, at times waylaying narrative cohesion.

Arrietty for the most part is a very enjoyable, gentle and surprisingly dynamic film. Visually this is recognisably Ghibli but the audio is where the film refreshingly diverges from the usual form, first time composer Cécile Corbel marks an energizing change from (the admittedly superb) Joe Hisaishi with an upbeat Celtic inspired score. The sound design may just be some of Ghibli’s best yet, we feel as small as the Borrowers themselves as we are immersed by a gigantic and yet instantly familiar audio world. The rustle of a sleeve on human scale registers as small earthquake on borrower scale.

The story itself will be familiar to many westerners having previously been adapted by the BBC and the subject of a dire adaptation starring John Goodman, Arrietty may be relocated to the outskirts of a Tokyo suburb but most of the original elements from Mary Norton’s source are intact. The film keeps in Ghibli tradition by focusing on the joy of everyday rituals (preparing dinner, doing laundry) with a unique slant, one scene in particular see’s Arrietty grinding up oversized biscuits with a mortar and pestle. Thus amplifying the sadness we feel when events take a turn for the worst, as the Clock family (the Borrowers in question) find themselves forced from their home. Arrietty is charmingly realised as an inquisitive yet timid presence, resourceful enough to adopt a sewing pin as a sword and vulnerable enough that we care for her safety whilst trusting her as a heroine.

It’s not surprising however that it is the ‘human beans’ themselves that are the least interesting players in the story, even Sho (who befriends Arrietty) is nothing more than a doe-eyed angel, sympathetic though he may be, his naïve outlook leaves a lot to be desired.  Frustratingly the film even seems to hint at a romance (given the circumstances, without a doubt platonic) between Sho and Arrietty and the fact that this, or even any scenes of them spending time together aren’t embellished is disappointing. More than anything we want to see this friendship grow and we want to see these two introduce each other to their own separate worlds, or even engage in routine activities (much like Elliot and E.T eavesdropping on Dee Wallace reading Peter Pan). Furthermore, the morality of the ‘Borrower’ ethos isn’t necessarily resolved; ‘we only take what you won’t miss’, yeah, that’s still stealing.

Most of the issues in the film don’t take away from the experience, that’s what counts in the end. Arrietty has its flaws but its charms more than make up for them, coupled with the best auditory experience of any Ghibli movie, this is a treat for all ages.

The English Subtitled version was reviewed.