Les Murs vagabonds

Drifting Home was a bit too long for my taste. I’m not saying I was bored, but I think that the message would have been more powerful if the movie was more fast-paced and intense. I only enjoyed the last twenty minutes or so, when everything was starting to unravel, and it came to important realizations and confessions. Plus, some parts were nice to watch, animation-wise. As for the characters, the film managed to capture real children’s behavior quite convincingly. The characters seemed quite believable, but you know children, sometimes they are cute, they can be surprisingly smart and honest, but their logic will just drive you crazy most of the time.  I could mostly understand what was going on in Natsume's head and she was probably the best-portrayed character. Kousuke was partially likable and partially incredibly annoying. And as for Reina, she just irritated me throughout the whole movie. On the other hand, the film worked with the characters quite well in the second half, opening their eyes, letting them move forward, sometimes holding a mirror for them, etc. The story itself was a long farewell to a house, deciphering its meaning and the message that everything is constantly changing and it’s not always easy for everyone to adapt. It’s also a reflection on the meaning of family and those who belong to it. I still think this could have been at least thirty minutes shorter, with more intensity and possibly a lot more magic. All in all, it was a slightly above-average movie for me. 6/10 (16/09/2022)