Disney has made a minor franchise out of its recent partnership with Studio Ghibli, through which the American mega-studio co-opts the existing releases of the legendary Japanese animation studio and repopulates it with recognizable American voice talent. The distribution agreement provides Disney a way to use its tween-tastic Disney Channel stars as voices in animated films the company itself doesn't expend any effort to produce. It also provides Disney the occasion to release a truly great piece of art, since Studio Ghibli -- founded by Hayao Miyazaki, widely considered the world's greatest living animator -- is responsible for some of the most wondrous animated features in the last several years, from Princess Mononoke to the Oscar-winning Spirited Away to the recent Ponyo.
The Secret World of Arrietty fits squarely into Disney's dual-purpose release strategy -- it promotes its niche brand of Disney channel celebs by casting them in the leading roles, but also exposes American audiences to another lovely entry from the Studio Ghibli catalog. While the film is sort of a minor-key lark compared to some of Miyazaki's greatest masterworks, it is nevertheless a wonderful film that will expand the horizons of audiences who open themselves to the experience.
Based on Mary Norton's beloved novel The Borrowers, the film tells a story about friendship and survival in a treacherous world. Like all Studio Ghibli films, it blends elements of the literal and the fantastically symbolic, and doesn't shy away from the sinister implications of its characters' dangerous adventures. The titular heroine, Arrietty (voiced by Disney channel star Bridgit Mendler), is part of the dwindling race of "Borrowers," minuscule beings who are just like us -- with the obvious exception of their tiny size. Arrietty and her family, stoic patriarch Pod (voiced by Will Arnett) and worrywart mother Homily (voiced by Amy Poehler), have to emerge from their home under the floorboards to stealthily swipe -- or "borrow" -- any food or supplies necessary for their survival. Each borrowing trip is fraught with peril, as even the most benign elements of the human world are treacherous to Borrowers. Plus, a Borrower can't risk being seen by a human, lest they be regarded as either an execrable rodent or exploitable freak.Of course, being discovered by humans is The Secret World of Arrietty's key plot turn. On her first late-night borrowing trip, Arrietty is discovered by Shawn (voiced by David Henrie, another Disney channel celeb), a sickly boy who is awaiting a critical heart surgery. Being "compromised" in the human world is dangerous, but Shawn and Arrietty discover a common bond that connects them -- their individual circumstances are different on the surface, but both are threatened by elements they can't control. For Arrietty, it is the world of giants where she must fight for survival; for Shawn, it's the equally daunting fight for survival in the face of a horrific illness. That bond informs both their journeys, spurring them to fight for their lives, albeit in very different ways.
There are scenes in The Secret World of Arrietty that vibrate with dread and urgency; in the eyes of Arrietty and her family, this world we take for granted is presented as an unforgiving land of over-sized dangers. We hear the frightening echo of every solitary movement and feel the daunting weight of every simple object. It is in these scenes -- which clearly illustrate the stark contrast in perception between the Borrowers and their human counterparts -- that Arrietty approaches the hallowed terrain of Great Miyazaki.
Other, more conventional plot turns mar the otherwise wonderful film. A subplot involving Shawn's goofy old nanny (voiced by Carol Burnett), who harbors some sort of unexplained desire to kidnap the Borrowers and hold them hostage, grinds the story to an uncomfortable halt and leads to an obvious and abrupt conclusion (perhaps that is due in part to the fact that Miyazaki didn't direct the film, opting instead to only co-write the screenplay). But in spite of its minor flaws, The Secret World of Arrietty is another wonderful Studio Ghibli film, distributed by Disney but refreshingly not Disney-fied.
