Whisper of the Heart (1995)
By Hervé St-Louis
October 30, 2011 - 10:42
Studios: Studio Ghibli
Writer(s): Hayao Miyazaki, Aoi Hiiragi
Starring: Brittany Snow, David Gallagher, Cary Elwes
Directed by: Yoshifumi Kondô
Produced by: Toshio Suzuki
Running Time: 111 min
Release Date: 15 July 1995 (Japan)
Distributors: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
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This is an odd story unlike any other Studio Ghibli. I know everyone says that about all of his films, but having watched almost all of them, this one was incredible in its simplicity and attention to detail. The hyper realistic setting, where every detail of West Tokyo is portrayed, where when we ride the commuter trains with Shizuku, everything feels real, even the reflections in the train’s window are aptly animated, it all seems all too real and that’s where the magic starts. Although there are hints of a fantastic journey and great magical landscapes, like the ones one can expect from any Ghibli film headed by Miyazaki, this one draws the magic not from a fantastic setting but from the inner souls and of course whispers of the characters portrayed.
Normally, I would not fall for a movie about young teenagers in love. I cannot watch Twilight or High School Musical for more than ten minutes before feeling uncomfortable. Yet, in Whispers of the Heart, it’s a story about the very real love life of a Japanese school girl but the treatment of the story is so mature and elevated that this story of love will not annoy the most cynical of you. Often, Miyazaki films have no real story or antagonists getting in the way of the characters. Well, this one had one core story point, and it was the dedication both Shizuku and Seiji showed to one another and themselves in order to succeed at their craft.
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This movie feels so real and so realistic it was amazing. It touches covertly on the issue of class by having Shizuku live in an apartment complex while Seiji’s family home is one a look out with an incredible view of Tokyo, but the film did not stay too long on that and just hinted at things. Other parts of the film that I liked was how crowded Shizuku’s home was having a librarian father and a mother pursuing a master’s degree. Touches like that are great in movies that are meant for kids and adults. There was much to relate to in this film even though it was about the love life of a 14-year-old.
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Of course the animation was sumptuous and the hyper realism in this film has achieved incredible results that only warn the viewer that something more fantastic is just around the corner. If you saw The Cat Returns before this film, you must have dreaded this magical element throughout this film. It’s similar to Spirited Away in that it’s a very real world with magical elements weaved throughout.
If you are looking for an inspirational film to get your kids to work harder in school while understanding that life is what they make out of it, this is the one film for you and your tumultuous teens.
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Rating: 10/10
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