Review of Suzume

I watched Suzume no Tojimari in theaters and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I were to compare it to the other two Makoto Shinkai films I've seen, I would put it significantly higher than Tenki no Ko but slightly below Kimi no Na wa. The art and music were fantastic but I believe the writing kept Suzume no Tojimari from reaching its full potential. [Story 7/10] Suzume no Tojimari excels in every category except, arguably the most important, the plot. Some strong ideas were present but, consistent with the other Shinkai films I've watched, the writing was lacking in a few places. Tome, it felt like there was an imbalance of ideas with some stretching on for too long and some not being explored enough. One example of this, without getting into spoilers, is a partial flashback that I felt was a missed opportunity to better explore a character's past and allow the audience to make a stronger connection to them. In terms of positives, there was some light humor sprinkled throughout the film which was refreshing and I found all the characters to be likable. There was also a heightened connection to the real world with some references to global events and pop culture which I thought added to the story.

[Art 10/10]
As expected, the artwork and animation in this movie are top-notch. Shinkai's films remain some of my favorites in terms of art and Suzume no Tojimari did not disappoint. You could pause the movie at almost any frame and it would make an excellent wallpaper.

[Sound 9/10]
The soundtrack was quite good, but nothing crazy. I thought the music complemented all the scenes, from the emotional to the energetic, quite well. The opening song gave off a mysterious vibe that I thought perfectly suited the movie.

[Overall 9/10]
If you enjoyed Kimi no Na wa or any of Shinkai's other films, Suzume no Tojimari is definitely worth giving a watch. Although the story could be improved upon, the art and music are superb and I believe the movie is worth experiencing.