From Up on Poppy Hill – Film Review
Director: Goro Miyazaki
Starring: Masami Nagasawa, Jun’ichi Okada, Keiko Takeshita and Yuriko Ishida
Release Date: Aug 2
In one of the more serene moments of Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, My Neighbour Totoro, Satsuki is having her hair lovingly brushed by her mother, Yasuko. Satsuki asks eagerly if her short hair might one day look like her mothers. She smiles and replies simply “Maybe, we’re very alike”. The love shared between parent and child is brought forth on-screen with astonishing simplicity and extraordinary skill, and it also echoes the relationship between Hayao and his son, Goro. From Up on Poppy Hill, you will find, is not an Hayao Miyazaki film, but it is a Studio Ghibli film through and through.
After the camera caresses a beautiful Japanese village, nestled amongst some trees by the coast, we are introduced to Umi (Nagasawa). With an air of ceremony, she raises a pair of flags high up towards the sky and then proceeds to prepare a traditional Japanese breakfast to her unusual family of tenants. It’s upbeat, but it doesn’t reflect the wild excitement of Satsuki and Mei running about the fields in My Neighbour Totoro. This is a Japan set in reality, not long after WWII, and while it never delves into truly dark territory, it remains somber in tone throughout.
There are occasional signs of national trauma throughout, and this is most apparent by the fact that film’s plot revolves around the preserving of an old school clubhouse. In a well-scripted scene, two sides argue over its fate, some stating that it needs to be demolished so they won’t remain stuck in the past, whereas others state it needs to be preserved in order for there to be a future. It’s a smart allegory, one that doesn’t beat you over the head with it’s message, but effective nonetheless.
This isn’t Grave of the Fireflies though, you are allowed to laugh and smile while watching this film! Shun (Okada), the head protester, almost literally falls into Umi’s life, and this pushes some emotional events into motion. As she becomes more involved with preserving the clubhouse, they become closer, but as what is difficult to say.
Their bond is the clear high-point of the film, and what makes it so appealing in the fact that it doesn’t need a generic label for us to see that there is still a strong connection between them. It feels real and organic, and never submits to hokey film formula to act as a safety net. In order for this relationship to play out, however, there needs to be stuff happening, to keep the audience interested. While the clubhouse is a good plot device, and neatly balances emotion with humor, there is also the family aspect of both Umi and Shun.
Both teens have missing parents, and while this lends itself well to the films pacing, it just doesn’t feel like a natural fit. It feels strange to say it, but in one of the few Studio Ghibli films that doesn’t have fantasy elements, there are moments here that seem a little far-fetched. And while the film might cover some of its tracks in a ticklish self-reference to this absurdity, it doesn’t compensate for the entire, slightly convoluted plot.
But hey, when you get right down to it, the most important element of these films is the heart. From Up on Poppy Hill doesn’t overwhelm, but it still manages to be touching in a very believable way. The Japanese animation is as charming as ever, with Umi’s first time exploring the clubhouse being a real treat. It’s the bustle of crowds and distinctly Japanese facial animations that really stand out. There is also a really jazzy soundtrack that, at times, seem a little too brash for the serene atmosphere the film is going for. But perhaps this is just Goro putting his own stamp on things.
Smart, sweet and a nudge above most coming of age films, it’s a different beast from Hayao’s films, but it still rightly belongs under Totoro’s umbrella.
Score: 4/5
Written by Stephen Hill
