When Marnie Was There (2014)
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
[Rated PG] 1hr 43min
★★★★½
When Marnie Was There is an animated mystery drama about a young girl who spends the summer with relatives in the country in order to recuperate both her physical and mental health. While out exploring the area, she discovers a mysterious mansion across the water and befriends a girl who appears to live there.
As usual with Studio Ghibli films, the animation in When Marnie Was There is absolutely incredible. The softer visual style enhances the comforting atmosphere created by the narrative, and its leisurely pacing allows the melancholic yet hopeful mood to become fully immersive. These elements effectively strengthen the emotional aspects of the film due to its emphasis on the characters’ dispositions. As a result, the entire experience is filled with empathetic emotions that ground the supernatural components of the narrative. In addition, the story thoroughly explores themes about human relationships through its depiction of families, friendships, strangers, and love. All of them work together brilliantly as they reinforce the significance of human connections in their many different forms, which showcases some of the greatest aspects of humanity throughout the film.
When Marnie Was There is a fantastic movie that anyone can watch, and I highly recommend it for the immersive, emotional experience. As this is another phenomenal production by Studio Ghibli, fans of their other films should definitely watch this one as well.
When Marnie Was There is currently available to stream on Max. Click here to watch the film’s Ghibli Fest 2024 trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper