This isn't my favorite Ghibli (that love still goes to Totoro :) ), but it's still for me a wonderful entry into the filmography. The antagonistic force - yes, that didn't work as well for me either, but I rather liked the separation between Shawn and Arrietty in the beginning because it reflected to me more of the separation that would always have to undergird their relationship, linking us to those underpinnings of sadness. I think the credit sequence on the river was enough to return me to the gentle undercurrent of the film if the voiceover jarred at all. I do agree that the voiceover was not necessary though it didn't bother me as much. I loved the moment when Arrietty held onto Shawn's finger. I can see your point of view in regards to the end - though it was more than enough for me to feel the emotion of it. So I think I appreciated the dialed back feel - no animated father character has come closer to my own father before. He wasn't sad - he just didn't speak much, and he was more of a presence, but one whose presence was always very much felt. I think his character worked for me in large part, too, because my own father is very much like that - and he was when I was growing up. Interesting, your reaction to the father. I really can't wait to see this again in the future. Combined with the traditional Japanese animation, always refreshing to see on the big screen in the world of CGI animation, these elements were more than enough to allow me to overlook the noticeable faults I found with the film such as the underdeveloped/poorly inserted antagonistic force or the constant separation early on between Shawn and Arrietty. For me it's the way so much was implied, but justifiably so for the most part, that allowed me to track these huge changes in Arrietty's (and to a lesser extent, Shawn's) life. I loved how the film conveyed these slow changes though that made the smallest of gestures, thinking back to the final exchange, generate beautiful cathartic release. Sadly there is the voice over toward the end which, even though it implies that all sadness isn't banished, as you so excellently observe, it kind of undercut the greater emotional cues and elements of tragedy (or perhaps ambiguity?) that could have be conveyed either without words or without providing as much resolution.
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY FULL MOVIE FREE FULL
When I was driving home I started breaking them down and felt like they didn't work as well as they could have removed from the moment, if only because Shawn and Arrietty are so removed for so much of the film that their relationship seemed more innate and stock than fully developed, but in the final scene I felt that, with a few more button presses, I'd be full on in tears. I'm glad you brought up the underpinnings of sadness, especially toward the end of the film, because those were the moments that really pushed me over the top. I felt all of the other performances were top notch though, especially Poehler who probably could make a career out of voice acting if she desired.
Perhaps just a bit too dialed back for my liking. I had a little trouble with the father character, specifically feeling that Arnett's performance just conveyed disconnect rather than some hidden weary pain.
Glad everyone enjoyed the film, and I actually found myself quite taken with most of it as well.
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