Studio Ghlbli has based their films off of existing (non-Japanese) books before, but 2010's "The Secret World of Arrietty" is a strange example, because most Americans will recognize the live-action 1997 film "The Borrowers," also based on the same bokk series. In fact, there have been several adaptations of the books that fans might recognize. Additionally, in an effort to not rely so heavily on aging directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, directing went to Hiromasa Yonebayashi, previously an animation director at Ghibli. Generally, "The Secret World" is a solid film and my favorite of the adaptations of The Borrowers, but perhaps it follows too closely to the books, to the point of not haing an identity of its own.If you don't know the story of The Borrowers, you'll be impressed with the simplicity and charm of the premise. It proposes that there exist little people who get by through living in the crevices of our homes, taking crumbs and materials we wouldn't notice missing. Arrietty is one such "borrower," a young girl living with her mother and father in a countryside house, and without venturing outside, they believe they are the last of their kind. When a young human boy moves into the house where they live, they decide it is no longer safe to stay, but not before Arrietty and the boy meet and make a lasting friendship. The movie starts out strong, taking advantage of the unique perspective and creative way of life for these characters. But the story doesn't quite have the confidence to go anywhere... the ending is ambigous and unsatisfying, the type of ending that would make you want to read the second book (or see the non-existent second movie). Up to that point, there isn't a significant sense of urgency, even when the little characters are in danger. As such, everything beyond the first fiftteen minutes of the film feels more forgettable than other Ghibli films. It's still a sweet little story, but the story is the one part of a film that shouldn't feel "little."Visually, the film takes full advantage to the scale of the characters, providing close-up shots of grass, leaves, bugs, cats, and other household items in great detail. It provides a charming sense of wonder and adventure, making this one of the nicer-looking Ghibli films, which is no easy feat. The audio also rerceived proper attention during production, highlighting subtle effects you might expect if you were an inch high. The English-dub is surprisingly sharp (special kudos to Carol Burnett's evil housekeeper), only Arrietty's father (voiced by Will Arnet) felt disappointing with his bland delivery. Apparently, two completely separate English dubs were produced, the second being for the UK market, and unfortunately Walt Disney's American DVD and Bluray release does not include both. Also, the dubbed-over English songs in the opening and ending credits are surprisingly good, at a time when English versions of anime songs are either rare, or considered to be poor. Impressive.
Despite the strong production values, "The Secret World of Arrietty" feels less noteworthy than the rest of Studio Ghibli's catelog due to the core writing and story. It might be one of their best choices for you to share with your young kids, or if you already feel attached to the source material, otherwise it would be best left for after you've seen their other outstanding works.