Kari-gurashi no Arietti (2010)

The Secret World of Arrietty poster

English Title: The Secret World of Arrietty
Studio Ghibli
Starring:
 Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland
Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Based on the popular children’s book, The Borrowers. Arrietty (voiced by Saorise Ronan) is a young girl living with her family in a nice house. Only they’re four inches tall and live a secret life beneath a house of humans.

Cartoon Cat: The film begins with a human boy named Sho (voiced by Tom Holland) coming to live in his mother’s childhood home. A large tan and gray Japanese bobtail cat named Niya is in the yard, stalking something in a bush.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat stalking something in bush

A crow attacks the cat, interrupting her stalking. Niya eyes Sho warily and then gives up chasing what’s in the bush and runs away.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat chasing away crow

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat bristling fur as Sho watches

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat looking at bush again

Moments later Arrietty is heading back beneath the house when she realizes Niya is charging across the yard towards her.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat charging across lawn

Arrietty ducks beneath the house, leaving Niya reaching for her through a grating.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat trying to reach Arrietty between bars

Niya is a bit standoffish with Sho at first but slowly lets him pet her more.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat on table being petted

Eventually Niya becomes comfortble with Sho and even lies on his stomach while he is reading a book in the garden.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat lying on Sho's stomach in garden

Sho knows that Arrietty is nearby when Niya gets antsy, but he calms the cat down.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat standing up on Sho and looking anxious

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat settling down on Sho's chest

This doesn’t prevent Niya from lunging at Arrietty when she shows herself, but Sho is able to hold the cat back.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Sho holding back Niya cat and keeping her from attacking Arrietty

Near the end of the film, Arrietty and her family move from the house because they have been seen by too many people. Niya shows up and sees Arrietty.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat with eyes glowing

Niya no longer attacks Arrietty; in fact they seem to understand each other.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat and Arrietty looking at each other

The Secret World of Arrietty - Arrietty standing in front of Niya cat

Niya goes back to the house and leads Sho to where she has seen the little family.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat approaching house

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat trying to lead Sho

As they say goodbye, Sho explains that Niya is the one who brought him to Arrietty. Arrietty even pats Niya’s nose.

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat with Sho and Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty - Sho holding up Niya cat to Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty - Arrietty petting Niya cat on nose

The Secret World of Arrietty - Niya cat with Sho at daybreak

Final Mewsings: Cats can learn to love people, big or small


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