By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review is spoiler-free.
From Studio Colorido (Star Wars: Visions “Tatooine Rhapsody”) and director Hiroyasu Ishida(Penguin Highway) – a unique and intriguing coming-of-age mystery adventure that will tug on your heartstrings!
While the story concept is surreal in nature, the characters within it are actually fairly well grounded. Balancing the unlimited possibilities of a child’s imagination within a grounded narrative was always going to be a tricky task. However, for the most part, Drifting Home succeeds in charming your heart and drawing you into this magical world and innocent, likeable characters.
The animation style is Drifting Home’s strongest asset. The stunning, and colourful imagery really pops on the screen and draws you into every scene. The film begins with dull and tired tones before the colour explosion takes effect as the magic unfolds. The characters were well presented and with action, comedy, and drama elements to factor into the performances, the cast executed this genre mashup with ease.
When it comes to the negatives, Drifting Home doesn’t quite justify its lengthy runtime and, if truth be told, it could have done with being about twenty minutes or so shorter. There were some pacing issues in a few areas and this, ultimately, holds back the movie’s potential. The setting and idea had incredible potential, and while at times it does reach for the stars, there were elements of playing it a little safe, which was a little disappointing. There needed to be a smidge more magic sprinkled in to help break up the lengthy dialogues. This was the only really negative, as the performances, overall story and animation style were all wonderful.
Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives. While I wouldn’t categorise Drifting Home as a ‘must see’ movie, it should definitely be a film you eventually get around to. Soak in the magic and charm the film exudes and get ready to set sail on a fantastical adventure.
Drifting Home is a charming and magical coming-of-age adventure that successfully blends drama and humour within a unique tale of friendship and loss.
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