Review of The Secret World of Arrietty

It's pretty rare that I would rate a Ghibli movie lower than a 7 because I think each film has their own charm and their own high qualities, therefore I was also very surprised having finished this movie and finding myself not as satisfied as I usually am. This is also hard to admit since The Secret Life of Arrietty is a favorite for a lot of people, seen as an amazing debut for director Hiromasa Yonebayashi and a fresh direction for the studio. Yet,, I really didn't see it. If I was to compare Arrietty with Yonebayashi's other work, When Marnie Was There, the winneris clear. So I must commend that his vision and his work has made immense progress in the span of 4 years. But if I was to only look at this movie for what it was, it left me incredibly hollow and feeling underwhelmed.

Secret Life of Arrietty is a technical masterpiece, it's beautiful to watch, there is this serene and calmness as you notice all the little trinkets and their little home, there is a lot of youthful wonder and also thrill. Classic Ghibli. With this standpoint, I know that a lot of people would enjoy it because of its simple premise and beautiful animation.

The thing that bothered me was the character of Arrietty, I indeed loved her and liked her very much but there was an underlying sadness within her that we never got an explanation for. She always seemed so upset and carried so much on her shoulders but none of it were explained or explored. I think both Arrietty and Shun barely grew in the process of this film, which is a shame. Another aspect that I wish came more full circle was the story, I wish for little bit more, I just didn't think it gave any impact at all.

The more I think about this movie, the more unsettled it makes me feel. It is very much watchable and likable but I can't seem to see it as great. I think I would recommend this movie to someone who loves Ghibli's magical and whimsical side because this definitely caters to that most.