Title: The Secret World of Arrietty
Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Starring: Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler
Hayao Miyazaki is something of a wonder. His worlds have captured and stimulated the minds of young children and adults alike. From Spirited Away to Ponyo, his worlds are magical, lush and beautiful pieces of animation that are filled with secrets and mystery. Though he didn’t direct The Secret World of Arrietty, his spirit and soul can be found all over the film, from the environment to the characters.That’s not taking anything away from first-time director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who has functioned as a key animator on just about all of Miyazaki’s films. But Miyazaki’s hand is so prominent that it’s like he directed it himself. The sense of delicacy and touching understanding of the human condition are palpable and very Miyazaki. This is a must-see film for all audiences.
Based on the story The Borrowers, Arrietty tells the story of a young Borrower, named Arrietty (voiced by Bridgit Mendler) and a sick boy named Shawn (David Henrie). She is among the few Borrowers remaining (tiny people who borrow things people won’t miss). Their code has long been “to not be seen by humans”. In this case, however, Arrietty’s curiosity gets the best of her. She longs for interaction with the outside world and to join her father, Pod (Will Arnett) in his Borrowing. They live under Shawn’s great aunt’s house, who has always had the feeling “little people” lived under her home. Shawn is sick, but his illness is only hinted at by several mentions of “heart troubles”. Despite her efforts, Arrietty is seen by Shawn, and events take a different turn. Her world is in danger now, with the threat of Hara, the irritable, nosy house keeper, looming over.
A lot has been said about the glorious, hand-drawn animation, but there’s much more to Arrietty than that. It’s a somber, elegant story which moves at a leisurely pace, like a fairytale. Though Shawn and Arrietty face their own dangers, the tale keeps a sense of melancholy. Miyazaki’s stories have always been surreal, magical and enchanting, but his characters are what have always shined through. Shawn is sick, as I mentioned. His operation is supposed to happen in a week’s time, and his hopes are sinking. Arrietty, by comparison, is youthful, exuberant and hopeful. Their interactions are touching. One of the most emotional moments in the entire film is when we see another side of him–a side that is withdrawn and depressed. For a cartoon, it’s pretty heavy stuff.
Perhaps the most surprising part of Arrietty is the bittersweet ending. It certainly harkened back early feelings that I had for another animated film, The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet,2010). It caught me off guard. Then again, Miyazaki has never been one for the ordinary. Through all of Arrietty, he surprises us with new elements of his world: a “hunter”-like character named Spiller (Moises Arias), who glides through the air with ease, crickets that chirp, a cat that pounces on everything in sight and a crow that flies into a window, Arrietty’s raucous mom, named Homily (Amy Poehler) and so on and so forth–his worlds are full of vibrant creatures. Both Chomet and Miyazaki have proven themselves to be the two best animators in the world, and their worlds speak for themselves.
Needless to say, The Secret World of Arrietty is a treasure. What’s wonderful is that not all problems are resolved, but spirits are lifted, and much of the world is still left a mystery. Yonebayashi’s directorial debut is impressive. It’s clear that his tutelage under
