The Secret Life Of Arrietty Movie Review: A Charming Adventure
The Secret Life of Arrietty is a Studio Ghibli movie about a family of tiny humans who call themselves “Borrowers” and live underneath a large house in the countryside. Arrietty is a 14-year-old girl and the movie opens up with us discovering how Borrowers typically live out their lives by building charming mini houses while hiding in the nooks and crannies of a human household. Every once in awhile, they take/borrow small items (like bits of food, things that can be used as tools) from the human residence in order to survive. When I heard about this movie, I thought it was going to be a take on Thumbelina, but the only similarity it has to Thumbelina is the fact that there are tiny humans. As Arrietty learns how dangerous it can be for borrowers to be seen by humans, she has to wrestle with her duty to protect her family and her curiosity with befriending the young boy, Sho, who just moved in to the house. I also cried at the end of this movie, which is not something I expected! Safe to say, I think this movie was really enjoyable and touching.
I think that Arrietty is a great, lovable, and adorable heroine. I really loved following Arrietty as a character, because while she is adventurous and curious, she also takes her responsibilities seriously and will prioritize her family. Sho is a young, sickly boy who has come to stay at the country home to rest because he is about to undergo a major surgery for his health. You can tell from the beginning that he has a gentle and quiet disposition, but I love how the story makes him deeper than just that. There was one scene where Sho and Arrietty were outdoors in the field, and Sho actually said something pretty insensitive and hurtful. I did not expect this side of him, but it goes to show how he is multi-faceted just like anyone else. I also think that overall, The Secret Life of Arrietty is a fun adventure story about a young girl risking her life to help her family and adapt to her environment. There were moments that were anxiety inducing, especially with some scenes in the beginning with Arrietty and her father sneaking around in the dark gathering supplies. I appreciated the mixture of emotions while watching this film, all set against a gorgeous animated backdrop filled with nature scenes and indoor household scenes.
In conclusion…
The Secret Life of Arrietty is yet another charming movie by the champions of charming movies - Studio Ghibli. I loved the animation style and the way this movie made me feel really curious and excited to see what would come next. I hate myself for even considering that there could be a romance that blossoms between Arrietty and Sho, because that’s just ridiculous and impossible LOL, but their friendship truly was touching and made me cry! Definitely recommend this movie!