Secret World of Arrietty, The

Synopsis
A family of miniature people find their existence threatened due to a forbidden friendship in this Studio Ghibli adaptation of author Mary Norton's beloved children's book THE BORROWERS. Headstrong and full of energy, 14-year-old Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler) is just like any other adolescent girl -- except for the fact that she's only a few inches tall. Arrietty and her family are Borrowers: a race of tiny people who live among the regular-size humans undetected, and only emerge to scrounge miniscule amounts of essential living supplies from well-stocked cupboards and cabinets. Contact with the Borrowers' normal-size counterparts is strictly forbidden, but when Arrietty attempts to help her father stock up on necessities and meets 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), the pair develop an unlikely bond. Shawn has come to live with his great aunt, and should she find out about the Borrowers, it would be disastrous for Arrietty and her family. But perhaps by working together, Shawn and Arrietty can figure out a way for the Borrowers and humans to live together in harmony.

Reviews
"[A] charming, absorbing story, set in a vividly realised drawn world." (Sight and Sound)

4 stars out of 5 -- "[The] story charms, a bucolic jaunt that barely breaks stride....Moving..." (Total Film)

"'Wonder' is the watchword in THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY....this impeccable animated film puts its complete trust in the spirit of make-believe." (Los Angeles Times)

"What the studio does, brilliantly, is preserve a hand-drawn look and feel in its work....Studio Ghibli and ARRIETTY have a way of taking you where you may not expect..." (New York Times)

"The lyrical animation, with its meditative attention to nature, bears the unique stamp of Japan's Studio Ghibli..." -- Grade: B+ (Entertainment Weekly)

3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his beautifully rendered, almost old-fashioned version is a gem. It's a wonderfully funny and richly rewarding movie for the whole family..." (Box Office)

"Wispy but sweet as spun sugar, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY feels like a modest but exquisitely trimmed Japanese gift to fans of THE BORROWERS, British author Mary Norton’s classic children’s books." (Movieline)

"[The film] is fundamentally about the joy of life, and the necessity of bright, cheerful determination against all odds....[The] message comes via gorgeously lush, detail-intensive animation and a spunky protagonist..." (A.V. Club)