REVIEW: From Up On Poppy Hill (2011)

"Destroy the old and you destroy our memory of the past."

Anime

From Up On Poppy Hill was Gorō Miyazaki’s second attempt at directing a film for the studio his father co-founded. I’ve seen them all out of order, first watching Earwig and the Witch when it was released on HBO Max. I wasn’t impressed with that film and was left perplexed by the bizarre Tales From Earthsea. As you can imagine, this didn’t leave me expecting to get much out of From Up On Poppy Hill. Based on a manga from 1980, the film takes place in 1963 Yokohama. From Up On Poppy Hill follows Umi Matsuzaki (Sarah Bolger), a schoolgirl who runs her family’s boarding house in her mother’s absence. Every morning, Umi raises signal flags hoping to guide her father home, despite his presumed death after his ship exploded in the Korean War. A poem is published in the school paper responding to Umi’s signals, prompting speculation as to the identity of her secret admirer. One day, a boy named Shun Kazama jumps from the roof of the school’s clubhouse, the Latin Quarter, and falls into the water below. Umi’s sister becomes enamored with the daredevil, and Umi reluctantly agrees to accompany her to the Latin Quarter. Umi and Shun develop feelings for one another, but they uncover a secret that could keep them apart forever.

I must admit, I’m completely dumbfounded at this point. As the son of one of the greatest anime filmmakers ever, Gorō Miyazaki has a lot to live up to. Before I saw From Up On Poppy Hill, I thought Hayao Miyazaki’s son was proof of the old adage that talent skips a generation. Tales From Earthsea shows potential early on but devolves into a nonsensical mess with minimal payoff for your time investment. Meanwhile, Earwig and the Witch similarly wastes a talented cast on a visually unpleasant non-story with approximately 0 likable characters. I can’t sufficiently express my shock at discovering that between those two (relative) dumpster fires, the junior Miyazaki made a movie that’s nostalgic, sincere, and charming. I have my theories as to why this is so much better than Gorō Miyazaki’s other films for Studio Ghibli, which I’ll come back to later. Let’s take a look at why this film works so well.

Umi is an exceptionally likable and relatable protagonist. She’s intelligent and kind, and at least from my perspective, overworked for her age. She has big emotions, including a temper, and initially doesn’t like Shun at all. I usually find this dynamic annoying in movies; I’ll take love-at-first-sight over dislike turning into love any day. I think they’re both possible in real life, but I find the latter is often portrayed in a manner too over-the-top for me. It also tends to make me dislike both characters. But here, it’s very subdued, and Umi doesn’t hate Shun. She just thinks he’s careless and attention-seeking, which initially appears to be the case. I also love the organic, comfortable way their relationship develops. Shun already has feelings for Umi at the start of the film, but he’s timid about expressing it, leaving her a paper trail to follow. Umi grows to appreciate Shun for the passion he displays in his attempts to save the Latin Quarter from demolition. I find this to be very honest, and it’s just so satisfying to see in a movie. Shun is drawn in by the mystery of Umi’s signal flags, and she’s inspired by his fight for something he believes in. Although I wasn’t alive in the 60s (and wouldn’t tell you if I was) and haven’t been to Japan, this movie clearly evokes a specific time and place. There’s a thick atmosphere hanging about From Up On Poppy Hill, a yearning for a time when the future seemed bright and the possibilities endless. Although the stories are very different, From Up On Poppy Hill puts me in mind of Whisper of the Heart. I think that film is stronger overall; honestly, it would be difficult to top because it feels so personal and introspective. I also find Shizuku and the situations she finds herself in highly relatable, sometimes to an uncomfortable degree. But From Up On Poppy Hill has a lot to love, and I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about this movie. Most Studio Ghibli films are very hyped up in the animation community, but I had no context for this one and went in expecting another Tales From Earthsea. I couldn’t be happier to be proven wrong.

I also really enjoyed this film’s supporting cast. When Shun asks his adoptive father, Akio, about his birth father, I couldn’t love his response more. Akio only features in a couple of scenes in the film, and initially, I was afraid he would turn out to be emotionally abusive to Shun. He berates him for being late for fear that it’ll worry his mother. However, when Shun presses his father for more information about his adoption, he’s truthful while also expressing love and that Shun is their son, period. I guess this is kind of a simple thing, and as I said, this character isn’t in the film much. But they manage to say a lot with a little, and you can tell this man just wants what’s best for his son. I also love the flashback to his adoption and how his mother just scoops him up and won’t let go. While I personally know nothing about the experience of adopting or being adopted, I’ve always found the topic to be surprisingly emotional in movies. Umi’s sister Sora reminded me of my younger siblings at times, especially when she refuses to go grocery shopping to help out. I also like Umi’s tenants, particularly Sachiko. She actually helps Umi with the household tasks, and I love the painting she does of the ship that passes the boarding house.

From Up On Poppy Hill has all of the usual Ghibli splendor going for it. The character designs are expressive and aesthetically pleasing. However, it’s really the landscapes, buildings, and how this world just looks alive, that gets me. The lighting and the way mundane things are so lovingly displayed – and in such detail – add a lot to the film’s ambiance. The score by Satoshi Takebe is understated and wistful, sucking the audience right into this precise setting. From Up On Poppy Hill is also the first Studio Ghibli film in a while where I like all of the songs. Granted, they’re not sung by Disney channel stars, being that this was the first Ghibli movie distributed by GKIDS instead of Disney. As a Disney fan, even I say good riddance to their impact on these films. I actually watched this film twice, once subbed and once dubbed. Although I think I prefer how some of the dialogue is worded in the subtitled version, both are great. The American cast includes Sarah Bolger, Anton Yelchin, Ron Howard, Gillian Anderson, Beau Bridges, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Dern, and more. These movies get incredible casts for their dubs, which is a huge bonus when so many dubs single-handedly ruin the experience of a movie or show.

From Up On Poppy Hill is just the pleasant surprise I needed. It’s a heartfelt, nostalgic movie full of love and idealism. Almost every character in this film is just trying to do their best. The love between the leads and their families feels so real. I actually love the fantasy genre, and some of my favorite Studio Ghibli films are what I would describe as epic fantasy. But I think what separates From Up On Poppy Hill from Gorō Miyazaki’s other films is the small scale. This is a drama about growing up, finding love, and fighting for what you value. From Up On Poppy Hill is all about its characters and setting. Meanwhile, those elements feel like afterthoughts in Earthsea and Earwig, lost amid the glut of poor worldbuilding, clunky dialogue, and underexplored themes. From Up On Poppy Hill isn’t a perfect movie or my favorite from Studio Ghibli, but I’m genuinely glad I watched it. I wish Gorō Miyazaki would make more character pieces like this, and I’ll be ecstatic to see it if he does.