Reviews

From Up on Poppy Hill brings its two protagonists together in highly moving and romantic fashion, skilfully drawing upon the very pretty port and naval setting and emotionally charged historical backdrop to give their relationship a picture perfect start. Unfortunately for them, this doesn't last.

Umi and Shun have barely begun to develop feelings for each other before a plot twist puts the kibosh on their budding romance. This is tragic for them and disappointing for us, since we haven't had enough time to grow attached to their coupling before they are torn apart. We are further let down when the brief albeit beautifully treated scene portraying Umi's despair fades into a series of scenes showing her muted resignation as she defeatedly yet doggedly goes about her everyday life, managing to remain friends with Shun. Although this juxtaposition of scenes is aimed at creating a sense of pathos, the film does not explore her grief for long or deeply enough to maintain the pang of empathy one feels for her predicament. Following these weak bubbles of heartbreak, even the carefully designed climax did not evoke the sense of glorious relief that I wanted to feel when their plight was eventually resolved.

Meanwhile, the other main storyline (the restoration of the school clubhouse) proceeds a tad too smoothly and predictably to stir up tension and anticipation regarding its ultimate fate. The students coordinate harmoniously; the chairman of the school board ends up being sympathetic to their cause. They clear the obstacles in their way with ease and according to plan. It's still enjoyable to watch, but not as fulfilling as it would have been if the challenges had seemed more daunting.

If the question of Shun's parentage had been more deftly handled, this film could have had an emotional impact similar to Only Yesterday, which has a poignant if perhaps unrealistic ending. Unfortunately, issues with the timing and pacing of the main events and a rather emotionally timid and conservative storyline prevent From Up on Poppy Hill from achieving such an effect. It still has many things going for it: two determined, idealistic leads, humorous and/or beautifully animated scenes and a distinctive and nostalgic background, but they can't entirely make up for the shaky plotting. It's worth viewing, but tailor your expectations accordingly.

This is a pretty, glossy picture that makes a good popcorn movie. I haven't read the novel, so I can't comment on the movie as an adaptation of it. As a standalone work, I enjoyed it up until Eilis married Tony, which imo seemed out of character for her as she had been portrayed up until that point. The way that she carried on the pretence of being single until confronted by the horrible Miss Kelly also seemed contrived to me, and the very feeble reaction of Eilis's mother to her confession of being married highly unrealistic. I can see Eilish agreeing to marry Tony as a way of cementing her newly attained social status by giving her a reason to return to New York. But I don't understand why she didn't tell her mother or her best friend about Tony, or why her mother didn't probe for answers or get angry when she finally broke down. The way the situation resolved itself at the end just seemed too slick and easy to me, and I couldn't help judging Eilis for fleeing Ireland under a cloud of scandal and throwing her mother to the village wolves with the gossip. I couldn't reconcile this girl with the prim, conservative young lady we were shown at the beginning. I know people change, but the change in Eilis was too sudden and too drastic for me to find it believable, and this unfortunately ruined the movie for me.