In terms of visuals, it is difficult to not be swept away by the beauty of this film. It’s not the best or most complex out there, but it is a story that is melancholic and poignant in beauty even for a film that is geared towards children. When Marnie Was There deals with dark themes right from the onset of the film, but it never touches too deeply into them and instead, offers quick resolutions to the problems that are presented. Although there are hints and foreshadowing on the eventual plot twist, the film’s climax is just simply an exposition dump, but can nonetheless, hit you as something that is emotionally strong.
If you take away the supernatural element, then it seems like an odd story about a girl consistently hallucinating and passing out in different places. This means that the film can get too mysterious or puzzling for its own good. Often enough, viewers may have to interpret what is being shown to them because of the fact that information is withheld. Whilst this blurring of reality and fantasy can happen to people who have psychological problems like Anna, the execution or approach could have been handled better. As the film progresses, blurred lines between reality and fantasy become more imminent, particularly in the second half of the film. The film is not without its faults because it tries to be two things at once, and the pacing of the narrative is quite slow so things never turn as complex or deeply-layered as they seem. There are tensions and misunderstandings, but the friendship between the two is so strong that it may be interpreted by some people as a romantic relationship. The friendship between Anna and Marnie is an interesting one. It is best to suspend one’s critical or analytical thinking as the story goes on because it’s not really much of a mystery. Instead, it focuses primarily on the friendship between Anna and Marnie. According to Alfred Hitchcock, mysteries are an “intellectual process”, but When Marnie Was There does not focus on the intellectual process. When Marnie Was There adds a twist to this by turning the story into a mystery, but it never really presents itself as a mystery. It is their need for someone who can understand them and guide them. Often enough, imaginary characters are products of a protagonist’s need for a friend. Stories of characters creating an imaginary friend in order to deal with their psychological problems is an all too familiar one. What it does retain, however, is the studio’s incredible ability to depict human emotions through the use of visuals. In its story and in its characters, When Marnie Was There is different from what Ghibli normally produces. Amidst all the grand castles, whimsical creatures, and gutsy female heroines, is a more subdued tale that is about an introverted girl dealing with her inner problems. Sadly, When Marnie Was There marked the end of an era for a studio which was home to the likes of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, as Studio Ghibli is on an indefinite hiatus from feature length films.
For three decades, Studio Ghibli has enthralled people with their fantastical narratives, hand-drawn animation, memorable characters, and depiction of emotions.