A Letter to Momo Film Review

A Letter to Momo is a film by Hiroyuki Okimura, same director who directed the film Ghost in the Shell. It is a collaboration work of the production I.G and this one actually remarked its position superbly in the year 2012. The year is always renounced for the most polished animated film, “Wolf Children” by Mamuro Hosoda. This film is specialized in its prospect for making a mixture of the fantastic worlds of the imagination of children with the realistic use of imagery. We all know the Ghibli Film, “My Neighbour Totoro”, and how brilliantly it shows us the compilation of supernatural elements and nature. And in this you will also have a glance upon it; but for your own good, I am going to warn you, before reading my review any further, consider this one as a supreme spoiler upon the plot. So carry on at your own risk.

Now without further adieu, let’s start my phenomenon. At first, let us take a little glance upon its main plot –

Momo is a young girl who is recovering from her father’s death and her mother ‘s decision to move their family from Tokyo to a remote island when she discovers a message from her father that causes strange events to occur. Thus the story begins_

Now solely focus on some critical points –

1. Momo is a self-conscious city girl. Obviously, she would have trouble adjusting to a different atmosphere.
2. Ikuko, her mother was not moving out because he wants to forget the past. She is more concerned about her daughter and her own asthma.
3. Iwa, Kawa, Mame – these three Ogre like creatures were actually sent by their father to look after them.
4. The more supernatural the plot seemed at first, it is not actually penetrating its fantasy elements. It deepens the gradual ethics of the plot.

Yes, I know you are having trouble adjusting with the last point that I have spoken before. How the supernatural elements can deepen the plot, it just floats the fantasy more? Don’t bother to think thus, this blog sorely on that purpose to explain. So stick with me and have a nice read. Before that please indulge yourself with the trailer so rejuvenate your memories about the film_

Review

A Letter to Momo; not just a letter it seemed at first, with just two words, it is trying to explain something to us and to Momo. “Dear Momo” – these are the last words that were written by her father before he died in the shipwreck. Momo definitely had an argument with her father for not taking her promise seriously. But that argument isn’t being solved, he died and the family moved on. The effects, as well as the guilt of not answering with her true feelings, remained in Momo’s heart and day by day she was proceeding towards a more gloomy state of oblivion. A new remote island is a remote place from the mainland indeed and it also symbolizes the remote mindset of Momo and how their new lifestyle will be a remote one on this Island; being completely separated from her father. She still stumbles upon the last words of her father. And there at the perfect moment, the story gets a level up with its use of supernaturalism. When the three Ogres came into her life, her mindset and psychology turn to motion which was before at a pause.

Now she is moving forward in her life by the jollying and having fun with the adventures of real and fantastical beings. Day by day she was being irritated by those creatures but without even knowing the whole aspect, she starts to get a motion in her life. She became gradually more accepted in that society. Having a talk with the local gang and the boy, she is making progress to move on like her mother who doesn’t, for a little cause forget about her husband. She still misses her husband but this fact was totally unknown to her daughter who thinks that she is the only one who is having trouble with the past (Here the author also hints on the audience’s prejudices about how they only think that they are only suffering in their lives). But rest aside let’s talk how Momo is stumbling upon her new life to adjust; she is doing well and it is fine but still, there needs a boost to move on. The guilt she feels about her father’s death, she has to recover from it and the very key to do that lies in the letter, left by her father. By the way, the Ogre faultily sends her letter to heaven as their report and this instigates the climax section of the film. The daughter and her mother fight and expose their pent up guilt upon each other and Momo ran off from her by hurting her mother with her selfish words of struggle. It is still the same as the past when she got angry with her father and unable to tell her real feelings she left. To her mother, it is the same. The story writer points out that though she is moving forward in her life, the past is holding her off. And the asthma of her mother starts hinting the weight she felt with the incident of her husband’s death and her life. She also has to recover from it; just like her daughter. And there comes the excessively superficial scene of the film where the whole crew of spirits helped Momo to get a doctor for her mother in the typhoon by the journey through the new bridge. 

The typhoon symbolizes the hurdles of their lives and the new bridge which is not opened yet, suggests their proceedings of having a new life. It also connects the remote Island with the mainland and by crossing it Momo proves that her solitary mind is now also connected with the true feelings of her for her father. How much stupid it seemed their adventure to others, thus much it was instigating the plot. The director masterfully depicts the plot of heaviness and never let it become too heavy for the audiences to bear.

At last Momo’s journey ends, with her, we have given farewell to the crew of Ogres and now she and her mother get the final message from his father who was always looking over them from the other side. By the fading of the letters, it is proved that they finally recovered from their burden of past and guilt.

Though her father left just two words for her daughter to pursue his real feelings, he is actually disclosing two thousand paths of emotions and reality before her. And the adventure she took while discovering them, is truly fantastic. There was also a significant scene that I might haven't mention. Remember how Momo was having trouble jumping from the bridge with the local gang, it shows us that she wasn't ready yet to move forward, but it is not that she is not trying and didn't want to. She the fears the first steps which she has to take to proceed. The Orge pushed her again and again into the waters, specifically proves their effort to help Momo to look forward. And at the end of the Film Momo was successful to Jump off where she learned to shake off the past guilt and pursue the future by adjusting in the new environs. 

Now tell me, is it clear to you guys how the supernatural beings are intending the story plot toward depth? If not let’s see some analytical points also_ 

1. Their country has a long history of beliefs upon the spirits of elements and the old storybook of Momo’s grandfather proves it.
2. The culture and belief of that society replicated the story within our minds.
3. The stupid adventures turned so meaningful to us that we forget to reason with them. Instead, we reason with the main story now.
4. Without being a Ghibli film, “A Letter to Momo” profusely brought up all the aspects of a true Ghibli film.

And when a director can combine the world of imagination with reality, it will surely be some awesome experience to gain. Now my review is coming to an end. Though my words are not enough to sketch the whole magnanimous plot, I am just pointing the points of the plot that interests me the most. Though I know it is just getting complicated with every word I write, this review can at least gave you enough points to like this film and if you don’t, please be true to yourself, you haven’t read a single line of this yet! 

This is my impression of "A Letter to Momo"; not a long one I know but it consists of several views that I came up with the process of analyzing the whole film. It might have missed some points but remember a work can be complete but a art will always be incomplete; it is up to you to follow this from where I left. Thus the chain of creations works.

"Their beliefs are connected with us and we should leave it for the upcoming generations to pursue."

Thank You, hope you have liked It! Until Next Time!~