Something Borrowed

We queued up The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) for a couple of reasons. First, we felt like watching something from Studio Ghibli. Even though this was directed by Yonebayashi, and Miyazaki only wrote it. Second, I was a big fan of the Borrowers books when I was a kid.

Borrowers are tiny people, a few (inconsistent) inches high, who secretly live in our houses and “borrow” items for their daily lives. Our hero, a young boy named Sean, first catches a glimpse when he is sent to his aunt’s house in the country to rest up for his health. There is a rustling in shiso bush, drawing his attention and also a cat’s. After he’s left, we see that it was Arrietty, a young borrower girl who is out collecting herbs. Shiso, by the way, is a Japanese herb with an indescribable savory flavor, in the same way basil has. It gave this scene a very homey, sensory feel, so very Studio Ghibli.

Arrietty lives with her nervous mom Homily (voiced by Amy Pohler) and her dad, the stolid Pod (Will Annette). She convinces her dad to take her borrowing. This is what I loved as a kid - the trips through the giant house, using staples in the wall as ladders, a pin and thread as a grappling hook and so on. But Sho is awake in bed and he sees them, so they have to flee.

In fact, now they have to move. Even nice people are a danger to borrowers. And we find out that his aunt suspects they exist, and her maid (Carol Burnett) plans to capture one of them. So even though Sean tries to help them by giving them a dollhouse kitchen, they must leave. Pod also meets a wild borrower - dressed in a pelt, with face paint, a noble savage kid. He can lead them to other houses, other borrowers, and maybe someday be her mate. Sean, who expected to die from a heart problem, sees them off and their courage inspires him to live.

I’m not sure this is a great Studio Ghibli movie, but it is a lot of fun, especially for fans of the Borrowers. Arrietty is one of those great, competent female heroes, like Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle. We enjoyed it.