I doubt that I’ll ever write a formal review of When Marnie Was There, as there’s really only one moment that I want to write about, and it shouldn’t be spoiled. Ever.
If you have seen When Marnie Was There, then you know the moment that I’m talking about. That one moment, that one casual word, that delivers the emotional payoff for the entire film.
If you have any heart, any heart at all, that moment will hit you like a sledgehammer.
And it’s just beautiful.
If you haven’t seen it, go see it. Oh, and please don’t spoil it in the comments.
And it is so understated too. Anna doesn’t even think or hesitate for a moment.
Precisely. Anna just says it, and doesn’t even look to see what the reaction is.
I actually disagree with what you two say. Anna was conscious of it, or at least after saying so – it’s not that she doesn’t look to see what the reaction is, but is looking away, blushing.
It was still a good moment, though. That’s a small nitpick, but I think that she says so consciously is both good, and well, required, for where she’s at at the time.
I’ll have to watch the scene again to check. It’s possible that the strength of the scene may well lie in the ambiguity of it. Anime is like that sometimes. 😉