Rated G
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Studio Ghibli)
Starring Bridgit Mendler, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler
The Secret World of Arrietty is the latest from Studio Ghibli, who have made some truly great films in the past like Sprited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle. Arrietty centers around the Clock family, tiny people who live in the floorboards of a regular-sized house. In order to survive, the Clocks “borrow” tiny amounts of what they need from the humans who live in the house, keeping sure to stay hidden for fear of what the humans may do to them. When a sickly boy moves into the house to recover from an illness, he discovers the youngest Clock, Arrietty, and the two begin to develop a friendship despite their obvious differences.
To begin, the art in this film is beautiful. Like in other Studio Ghibli films, many of the backgrounds are hand-painted, giving the environments in Arrietty a nice picturesque look. Both the interior shots of the house and the lush greenery on the outside of the house are especially well done, so it isn’t very often that you don’t have something pretty to look at.
Aside from the art, what I liked most about The Secret World of Arrietty was the way the film’s creators played with scale. It was fun seeing the world the way Arrietty and her family did; things we don’t even acknowledge because they are so small are huge undertakings for the Clock family. For example, crossing a kitchen is an expedition that requires various tools and equipment, many of which were cleverly repurposed human tools.
So Arrietty is fun, clever and pretty, but that’s about it. The movie runs about an hour and a half, and I left the theater thinking that not enough happened. The story was pleasant, but there wasn’t enough going on to keep me fully engaged throughout. The voice acting was also a little spotty, with some awkward phrasing and strange timing.
Kids will probably enjoy The Secret World of Arrietty; it is colorful, fun and silly. It could make for a good night in with the family, but I would not recommend seeing it in theaters.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
I think kids will like this movie, but adults might be bored.
Convesation Starter:
- The old woman, Hara, says that people called her crazy because she said she saw tiny people living in the house. How would you respond to someone who said they believed in something you couldn’t see?
- How would you respond to someone who questioned your belief in a God who they couldn’t see?
- What is something that God has done in your life that proves to you that He is real?
