思い出のマーニー / Omoide no Mânî / Blu-ray + DVD

When Marnie Was There Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman, October 5, 2015

plays with a superficially elegant sophistication, an emotionally gentle and filling story line, and a sprinkling of faith and fate in one's search for self-identity. All of these things come in a broadly accessible package, yielding a movie that holds the audience's hand as it explores a few challenging and darker themes but leaves the viewers satisfied for the journey and grateful to the characters for bringing them along. It's another in a growing line of beautifully rendered, effortlessly contemplative, gently inspiring, and broadly approachable films from Studio Ghibli ( The Tale of the Princess Kaguya The Wind Rises ). Even asreleases at a point where the acclaimed studio's fate remains in question, it's a testament to the traditions, styles, and purposes that have made Ghibli one of the most renowned not only in the animation space but the broader cinema landscape as well.Anna (voiced by Sara Takatsuki) is a talented 12-year-old artist and social outcast. She hates herself, she worries about the money she's costing her surrogate mother (though she's discovered, much to her added dismay, the government is subsidizing her care), and she suffers from asthma. Outwardly, she hides her emotions and wears a "wooden face" as her mother describes it. The doctor prescribes for her an escape from the chocking confines of Sapporo for an extended country stay with her mother's relatives, the Oiwas (voiced by Toshie Negishi and Susumu Terajima). In the idyllic small town in which they live, Anna finds herself drawn to an old, abandoned mansion where she meets Marine (voiced by Kasumi Arimura), a young blonde-haired girl of her age and with whom Anna's life will be forever entwined.boasts many technical and thematic strengths, not the least of which is the fluid, deep, and personable character study at its core. Anna is a character built on inner and outer emotional complexity who, by the time the film reveals its secrets in the third act, seems to grow only more complex. Yet despite the complicated nature of who she is -- inwardly and outwardly -- the film offers a gently accessible path for the audience to take as it slowly and effortlessly builds the character from the inside out and, gradually, in reversal from the outside in. Anna lives closed in on herself and feels the world collapsing towards her. One cannot help but feel that her move to the country -- to a place she can "breathe" -- is as much metaphorical as it is literal and as much a help to the character emotionally as it is physically. But her problems run much deeper and more complex to a point where mere fresh air and space cannot help. Her journey begins on the inside and it's by her stay in the idyllic countryside where she's able to find herself and make several discoveries about who she is, again in the most literal sense of the term but, more critical to the story, in a figurative way that will aid her in coming out of her shell and leaving behind the everyday emotional pains that have kept her down. The film shines with a character depiction that may not be wholly original but that does offer a satisfyingly intimate study of how even a basic understanding of who one is, not necessarily in the here-and-now but rather as a human being interconnected with the larger world around them, can radically transform one's perspective on life.On the other hand is the film's elegant production. Though par for the course for Studio Ghibli,inspires with its breathtaking construction, both in terms of its beautifully simple stylings and the way the visuals so effortlessly complement the greater story. There's a minimalist quality to the film, certainly not quite so basic (or unique) asbut capturing a spirit of focused evenness and attention to detail that accentuates narrative themes both in the moment and spanning the film's greater, arcing context. The innate simplicity first and foremost allows the audience to focus on the story rather than its support pieces. At the same time, there's a certain welcoming quality to the visuals, almost a warmth to them, not necessarily in the truest physical sense of the term when used in conjunction with video analysis but instead an inviting sensation that just feels natural, like home, which is also critical in the greater emotional underpinnings that run throughout the film and culminate with its third act revelations. The film also boasts wonderful voice acting -- even the English version is full of life, character depth, and purpose -- and a reserved but beautifully supportive score from Takatsugu Muramatsu, working his first Studio Ghibli film.