Review of Whisper of the Heart
I really want to believe Take Me Home, Country Roads used to be considered a genuinely emotional and heartfelt song, but the image of Call Me Kevin in a cowboy hat, steering an invisible wheel in front of a green screen is simply burnt onto my retina, and I can't escape it. That aside, the simple story of "Whisper of the Heart" has some charming moments, but nevertheless lacks the emotional punch that typically characterizes anime dramas, particularly those of Studio Ghibli. That is not to say a simple story always lacks such dimensions. Quite the opposite, simple premises or settings may very well result inan enjoyable story through rich storytelling and world building. That however, is not quite the case for Yoshifumi Kondou's "Whisper of the Heart". Though the characters are compelling and sympathetic, and the setting in which their story takes place is nothing short of charming, their story still fails to be told effectively.
Most of the issues I found with the film are essentially rooted in the film's pacing: some parts drag on for far too long, whilst the ending feels sudden and rushed. The on-screen development of the dynamic and relations between the main characters suffers from the film's strange pacing, too. While the film looks to be thematically interesting, featuring Take Me Home, Country Roads as its main musical theme and motif; rather than exploring the idea of Country vs. Concrete roads, writers Hayao Miyazaki and Aoi Hiiragi clearly intended to write more of a simple love story. It would have been nice if the film featured a comparative exploration of the Japanese countryside versus the buzzing urban center that is Tokyo—a theme that, may I add, would have greatly complemented the Ghibli storyverse. Alas, unlike the Shizuku and Seiji, this was simply not meant to be.
Despite my seemingly harsh critiques, "Whisper of the Heart" can still be enjoyed for what it is. Though it is not as heart wrenching or heartwarming as other features within its genre, it nevertheless succeeds at establishing the distinctive Ghibli atmosphere: a story driven by young joy, hardships, and love, brilliantly sweet, and seamlessly swaying between the real world and that of fiction. Surely, films like these add an undeniable touch of softness, a bit and joy, and dare I say—magic, to the world, even during its most grim and gloomy days.
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON LETTERBOXD:
https://letterboxd.com/aylian/film/whisper-of-the-heart/