Title: The Secret World of ArriettyDirector: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Writer: Mary Norton “The Borrowers” (novel)
Producer: Toshio Suzuki
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Studio: Studio Ghibli
Music By: Cécile Corbel
In Theaters: February 17th, 2012 (USA)
Run Time: 94 minutes
Starring: Bridget Mendler, Will Arnett, David Henrie, Amy Poehler, & Carol Burnett
Genre(s): animation/adventure/family/fantasy
Storyline: (IMDb.com) 14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items that they borrow from the house’s human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.
Movie Trailer:
My Review:I’ll admit I did not know this movie was about the classic story of The Borrowers. It wasn’t until I mentioned the title of the movie to my mom when she instantly said, “oh yes, of course it’s the borrowers story, don’t you remember?” My mom read all kinds of stories to me when I was young. I remember her reading to us (my brother and I) about the little people, but I did not remember their names specifically. I feel, if you know the story vividly from childhood or if you are just being introduced to this family of borrowers, you will instantly fall in love with them.
This style of animation was always something I had to get used to. It’s a very distinct Japanese style that is very similar to anime. If you can get passed the fact that their mouths don’t exactly mouth the words 100% the way we are used to now with advanced studios like Pixar, the story is beautifully done. The music and the sequence of events aren’t too loud or flashy.
This is definitely more of a children’s movie, although I would recommend that your child really be invested in the story before you take them to see it. A young child who is being introduced to the borrowers for the first time might now appreciate the quietness of their lives, especially since the movie depicts that so well. Being that their whole life revolves around not being seen or heard, there isn’t much “noise” in the movie.
What I found fascinating was the intricate ways in which the borrowers would get around the house they lived in, within the walls. Some of the stuff they used to navigate was already a part of the house, while other things you could tell they constructed themselves. They are about the same size as small rodents and bugs so they have to be careful not to get eaten or attacked by them. Aside from staying away from bugs and ensuring they are not seen by “beings” (what they call humans) they lead very quiet lives. As far as this family knows, they might be the only borrowers left.
I won’t spoil it for you if you’ve never read the stories but I guarantee you’ll want to read them after you’ve seen this movie. And if you have read them already, this movie will bring back memories you’ll want to revisit by rereading them again. It’s definitely one of those movies I’m glad I saw on the big screen.
My Rating:B+
Will you…Run And Tell That?
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