Arrietty
Studio Ghibili’s latest animation is based on classic English children’s series The Borrowers by Mary Norton. With the action transferred to a Tokyo suburb, Arrietty is the story of a miniature 14-year-old girl who lives with her family under the floor of a grand house. Despite her parents attempts to keep her hidden, she develops a relationship with one of the building’s normal-sized inhabitants. The Japanese film studio has enjoyed a strong of animated hits, from Spirited Away to Howl’s Moving Castle; can Arrietty continue Studio Ghibli’s run of cinematic success?
- No plot, no problem. Writing in The Telegraph, David Gritten pointed out that the story line isn’t particularly complex, but felt this didn’t matter: “Animation simply doesn’t get any better than Ghibli’s ravishing creation,” he gushed. In The Guardian, Steve Rose agreed that there are few thrills and spills in Arrietty, but called the film “a gentle and entrancing tale, deeper and richer than more instantly gratifying fare”. Rose compared the film favourably to more flashy recent animated movies: “This hand-drawn tale might seem antiquated, but if you’d rather your child left the cinema with a sense of wonder than an ambition to become a monster-truck driver, this is for you.”
- Deeper issues. In Time Out, David Jenkins said that the deceptively slight plot masked darker issues within the narrative: “The movie also addresses the difficulties of living with a physical disadvantage, and how the able-bodied can sometimes exert their dominance. It’s also about the simple tragedy of having to say goodbye to a friend.” In The Observer, Philip French agreed that Arrietty is more complex than might first appear: “This moving, amusing and resonant tale also touches on environmental and ecological concerns, on xenophobia and the fear of the threatening other,” he wrote. Meanwhile, Mark Strong in The Metro emphasised the quality of the animation, describing the film as “gorgeously drawn” and “stylish”.
- To dub or not to dub? Philip French noted that two versions of Arrietty are on release, one in Japanese (presumably with subtitles), the other dubbed into English. While his “purist colleagues” opted for the original soundtrack, French argued the dubbed movie was more enjoyable for children: “I doubt if a better cast could be found anywhere than the British actors assembled for Arrietty,” he wrote.
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