When I first watched a trailer for this movie, I thought I knew what I was in for. We have a boy, we have a heron, and it’s all going to be about this boy’s journey to deal with his mom’s death (I don’t think that’s a spoiler, given all the trailers and even the synopsis on IMDb mention that). And if I tried to be reductive, I would pat myself on the back and say that’s precisely what this movie is. The truth is, The Boy and the Heron is that, but it is so much more, and it goes into more complex stuff about life and death; I truly appreciate and respect this movie.
I am slowly going through Studio Ghibli movies, specifically anything by Hayao Miyazaki, who is, without a shadow of a doubt, a master of his craft and one of the key reasons many people love animated movies, as his ones deal with more complex issues. And they deal with adult issues by not spilling everything out. Instead, you have to go on a journey with each film and try to understand many tiny things so you can get the overall picture. It was this nuanced way of storytelling I had issues with when I watched some of Miyazaki’s movies during my teenage days, as I was not used to this unique way of telling stories. I am so happy that I watched this movie now when I “understand” and, more importantly, appreciate these movies much more, as this is your “stereotypical” Miyazaki. Many things happen, and at the same time, we get introduced to a plethora of quirky characters; it’s easy to get overwhelmed or try to understand this in a literal sense. But that’s not how you have to go about these movies, and my experience with The Boy and the Heron made it clear that I need to watch more Ghibli/Miyazaki movies, but most importantly, go back to the ones I had already seen and give them a second chance.
This movie is the perfect encapsulation of when you watch something, almost love it, and still need a second watch due to its complexity. The Boy and the Heron is visually a stunning, flawless movie. Every frame looks vivid and has a nice warmth to it. It’s also one of those “every frame a painting” films. You could pause this movie at any point, take a screenshot, print it out, frame it and hang it on your wall, and it would not be weird, as you would have stunning art on your wall.
It’s with its narrative I had a bit of an issue, despite understanding that I can’t “read” it literally. What I mean by that is I understood its themes and the main message about dealing with/processing the death of a loved one is needed and painful, but ultimately, you have to let go. This film gets much deeper into that aspect and how it’s unhealthy to live and cling to the past, and I loved that. We often see films dealing with the loss of someone, and our main protagonist is dealing with the “expected” things. But it’s only recently that movies and TV shows started to show this side of the grieving process and how crucial this aspect is too.
My only tiny criticism of the narrative aspect is that a few times, it felt like the ends justified the means. What I mean by that is there were several scenes where we jumped to the next one, and suddenly, we found ourselves entirely elsewhere. And that made the story a bit challenging to follow on an occasion or two. I am writing this fully aware that these films should not be taken literally, but you still need a certain narrative structure. But even that is just a tiny complaint, and I wouldn’t be shocked if it disappeared on repeat viewings.
Because that is ultimately the thing with The Boy and the Heron, I was so close to fully giving in and loving it. And the more films I see, the more I understand the importance of repeat viewings, especially with movies that feel like they are stacked with rich and complex themes. It won’t be a chore to watch this movie again (read, add this to my physical 4K collection, as I need to own this stunning movie in the best resolution we have right now), and I honestly can’t wait to rewatch it to sort out my thoughts about it. After only one screening in the cinema, I was close to loving it; I can’t wait to see how the second watch will go, knowing the main beats of this story.
Overall, The Boy and the Heron is a visually stunning movie with complex themes that will capture you and won’t let go. The movie was in the making since 2016, and you can tell how each little detail was made with care and love and that was something that translated into my cinema experience. And despite my tiny issue with some narrative choices, I can’t wait to rewatch it at some point and would strongly recommend it. If this movie wins the Best Animated Feature instead of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023, my review here), I wouldn’t be that shocked or even sad, to be honest, and I am writing that as someone who adores that movie to bits.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke