★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Like all Studio Ghibli films, the 2014 Academy Award nominee When Marnie Was There is a delightful masterpiece. Everything the studio makes has long been applauded for technical proficiency — both in visuals and story — and this is definitely not an exception. The hand-drawn style the studio is so well known for makes Marnie yet another work of art. Every frame feels purposeful and is so exquisite that you could print it out and frame it for your wall.
Image via IMDB
Marnie, and Ghibli films as a whole, have a manufactured sense of nostalgia to them that makes audiences long for lives they haven’t lived. Watching young protagonist Anna (Sara Takatsuki) navigate her way through a summer of self-inflicted isolation almost makes one yearn for similar moments from their past regardless of whether or not these memories actually exist. Anna is unlikeable and flawed which is what makes her so realistic and relatable; her growth from hatred to happiness thus is all the more satisfying. Anna’s guarded approach to the world is what allows Marnie to stand out amongst a portfolio of equally amazing works produced by the studio. It has the youthfulness of Only Yesterday mixed with a live-action coming of age film, making it simultaneously timeless yet appropriately modern.
Marnie is a great movie for someone looking for a beautiful and sweet story on a lazy summer day. It’s absolutely worth the watch, if for no other reason than it will transport you to an idyllic waterside village in a time when leaving your house is still not always possible.