Whisper of the Heart: Living with a purpose

I just went to the theaters to watch Whisper of the Heart without knowing anything about it, besides that it's a Ghibli film. And not knowing much about Ghibli, I was expecting a fantastical story, in line with Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle or The Boy and The Heron, instead I was greeted with Take Me Home, Country Roads.

Whisper of the Heart follows Shizuku as she makes new friends and finds meaning in different aspects of life. Yes, the premise of the film is extremely simple and unexciting, but it is executed so charmingly. The mundane and peacefulness of the film's setting highlights Ghibli's signature heartwarming charm, even more so than the studio's other films, and the characters are all so lovable. Shizuku's relationships are truly of a 14-year-old girl and feel intimate as though they're actually the writer's.

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What I especially like about this film is the sense of passion and dedication the characters have. This is the major thing that Shizuku discovers throughout her story. The characters' love for artistry, craftsmanship and writing feel like a warm hug for those who follow 'unconventional' paths in life. I especially enjoyed the dynamic of Shizuku learning about striving for a meaningful life from her friends who have come to terms with it or understood it well, not necessarily by them telling her, but by her feeling the need herself. It just feels so natural and believable.

Having spent many late nights working on projects, I see myself in these characters and understand how they feel when they constantly get asked why they are home so late, or when they throw themselves into a rabbit hole of research after a surge of inspiration hits them, or when they go all in with their decisions despite facing pushback from family. And seeing them form beautiful, meaningful connections really comforted me.

What's interesting is that this message is not delivered in a loud way. It's not a big declaration of one's self in the face of a cold and unloving society who has lost their way because of money and fame, it is a story of a 14-year-old girl, and that has made it stick with me so much more.

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There's not much to complain about this film, beside that the romance aspect of it seemed a bit forced. The amount that we got was fine, but things developed a bit too quickly, making its conclusion feeling undeserved, if not completely out of place. I really wish they dialed it down a bit.

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Finally, I must thank Concrete Road for erasing Kingsman: The Golden Circle's rendition of Take Me Home, Country Roads from my head, which has been living rent free for years.