I’ve always been a fan of Studio Ghibli films. When Marnie Was There is a movie I wasn’t as familiar with. I had a pretty sizable list of films I haven’t seen from Studio Ghibli and it’s on HBO Max like the rest of them. So the time finally came for me to give it a try.

Anna Sasaki is the main character of the plot. She is an orphan raised by a foster family and like any child growing up under her conditions, she has emotional and behavioral problems. But when something affects her actual bodily health, she ends up staying somewhere where nature and the clean air are better.

Anna Sasaki is a true introvert. She has a habit of making more people mad than she can make friends but one day on her adventures, she sees a girl that will affect her more than she realizes near a big house on the marsh.

Her name is Marnie and she is the daughter of two wealthy people who rarely look after her. The two quickly form a friendship but Anna has no idea that there is something very peculiar about this young lady.

To be honest When Marnie Was There is one of the weakest films by Studio Ghibli. It’s based on a book by a children’s author from the 1960s in Great Britain. I found it a little hard to be compelled by it at first, but the twist in the plot had my eyes shedding a few tears. It’s definitely far from the worst film by Studio Ghibli, but it doesn’t hold a candle compared to the best.

Score: B-