An Under Discussed Ghibli Film - The Secret World of Arrietty

This is one of those Studio Ghibli films that doesn't get a whole lot of discussion on it, and I think that really is a shame. Written, but not directed, by Miyazaki this movie really does have all the same qualities and charm that make Ghibli Films fantastic.

With a story based on The Borrowers, Arrietty is just beginning to learn the craft of borrowing from the Beans, the name they use to refer to humans. The Borrowers are very tiny people who live underneath the floor boards of the home, borrowing what they need to survive. When a sickly child moves in, he discovers them, and to keep safe Arrietty's family discusses the possibility of having to leave the house.

And the remainder of the plot revolves around that simple premise and the interactions between Arrietty herself and Shawn, the sickly boy mentioned earlier. This really is where the story shines as their relationship feels very genuine and charming. The strange part about all of that is that there are actually very few scenes the two share together, and it's not even until the third time they cross paths Arrietty even says anything to him.

There is an interesting dynamic that even though the boy is sickly, to the Beans he is still this towering giant that could threaten them if he wanted. At the same time he sees the things Arrietty does, and is amazed at the strength of people so small and fragile, even more so then himself. Though by saying that I do kind of give a way a theme and resolution to the show, but it's something that's pretty easy to see coming.

The best thing about the show is how it makes everything feel big. We see Arrietty and her father enter the kitchen, and the way the show pans out to show the surroundings in relation to them, as wells all the little sounds you hear in a night time kitchen being made to feel epic and booming, it really feels as though you are seeing all of these mundane things you are accustomed to through the eyes of the borrowers.

The show is full of great sounds that make everything feel alive, and one of my favorites is a bit odd. At one point early on Arrietty picks up a pin and puts it through her shirt like a sword. And whenever she draws it out you get the sound of a sword unsheathing. You feel like this little pin is actually a potential weapon in her hands.

There are parts of the plot that feel a bit overly convenient, like Spiller showing up when he does to tell the family that there are other borrowers out there, and can help them move to a new home. It's not as prevalent as it is in older Studio Ghibli films, but it is there and noticeable all the same.

As mentioned at the beginning, despite only handling the Screenplay according to the credits, the movie still has all the style and charm of any of the films Miyazaki has actually directed. The art and animation are top notch, the scenes are crafted amazingly well, and the world is imaginative and full of charm. It's definitely a movie that can hold it's own with some of Ghibli's finest movies, and worth checking out if you haven't.