Whisper of the Heart

I really enjoyed this movie, every second of it. We get a deep look into the life of Shizuku, a schoolgirl, her eldest sister – keen to move out, her librarian father and her mother working hard on a thesis. Very little actually happens in this movie, certainly nothing of a dramatic nature, although the events do have a great importance for Shizuku and the other characters.

She navigates relationships with her school, friends, academically, socially and romantically, and meets an old man who runs a quirky antique shop and his grandson who is in the same year as Shizuku (helped along to the shop by a fat cat variously known as a Ball, Moon or most famously as Muta).

There are no fantastical elements here, other than some dream sequences and extract from the story within a story that Shizuko is writing and the film is better for it. It is just real life with all its joys and challenges. If anything it is a reflective film about creativity and the challenges and sacrifices that need to be made in the creative process; and of course it is a gentle but deeply felt love story.

All the characters have real depth (the quite long run time gives us the opportunity to get to know them all) and I really like the way Shizuku’s parents eventually trust her, despite her failing grades and believe in what she’s doing.

In terms of artwork this is of course Ghibli and therefore beautiful in every frame. What I think is most impressive is the sheer three dimensionality of the city, it isn’t just a beautiful backdrop. It has structure, hills, alleyways, paths and beautifully realised buildings heavily layered up a hillside. I especially loved the house and workshop part of the store – I don’t fancy it. It’s chances in an earthquake but the views on the back porch were astounding and drawn with loving Care. The city becomes his own character, bustling with people in life and I could just drink it all in over and again. Even the entitles are a work of genius, a fixed shot of a dull retaining wall above which the whole life of the district flows as we see a marvellously realise that a citizen is going about their daily business on the path stop walk.

And to top it all we have completely gratuitous but enormous fun Easter eggs – look carefully at the face of the grandfather clock, the Book titles in the library and see what hangs above Shizuku’s desk.

A triumphant example of the filmmaker’s art that I could watch over and over again.