Review of The Secret World of Arrietty

A beautiful adaptation of Mary Norton's beloved classic The Borrowers. The movie carefully reframes the source material, quietly disposing of the less politically correct moments (namely, the unfortunate Indian bilingual sideplot) whilst retaining the whimsical essence that made the book so beloved. The story is essentially the same as the book with minor changes. Don't expect a groundbreaking plot or any jaw-dropping twists. The movie is very much a slice-of-life, as small-scaled as its tiny characters. The animation is gorgeous, though that is to be expected from any Ghibli movie at this point. The attention to detail is immaculate; you really believe that the Borrowers areliving in a tiny world through the portrayal of surface tension with every interaction with liquid, as well as the use of miniature objects as everyday essentials.

The highlight of the movie for me, personally was the soundtrack. The Celtic influence is very strong and works extremely well with the British countryside backdrop. The Neglected Garden is a magical tune, while Arrietty's Song is fittingly innocent and bittersweet. The quiet harp adds subtle emotion to all the right moments.

If you plan on watching the dub, I strongly recommend the UK Studiocanal version featuring Saoirse Ronan and Tom Holland as the characters of Arrietty and Sho respectively. Definitely one of the best English anime dubs along with Howl's Moving Castle.