whatmotivatedmeuptothenewdirector'sfestivaltocatch'martinfrost'tonightwasthebrutalreviewthatitgotyesterdayfromtheleadcriticofthenewyorktimes,brutaldismissal,tobemoreaccurate,'thelesssaidabout(it)thebetter',shesaid,andifiguredthatanymovieabletoteachMsDargisthevirtueofsilenceforevenafewcolumnincheswouldbeworththetrip成长是一笔交易，我们都是用朴素的童真与未经人事的洁白交换长大的勇气。——《魔女宅急便》 andworththetripitwas.wearebroughtintoaparadiseoflimpidlybeautifulvisualtextures.theoakenrhythmsofacountryhouseensconcedinaspringtimeparklandofluxurianttreesandluminousskiesbestowthesoothingnaturalblessingneededbythemaincharacter,martinfrost(DavidThewlis),awriterrubbedrawbythemechanicsoffinishinganovelinnewyorkcity.(Thewlismakespalpablethecasualtyofintrapsychicmachinerysawedintodaemonicreverbagainstthebanausichive).thenparadisemorphsintopurgatory,leavenedcomedically,inDante'ssense,bythepostmodernangelicvisitationsofClaire(IreneJacobs)andAnna(SophieAuster). unfortunately,tomytaste,theverbaldimensionsofthefilmareflaccid,thelogicmorefancifulthanimaginative,thenarrativearccrippledbysomeirredeemablycreakyplotting,especiallyatthecrucialinitiationoftherelationshipbetweenmartinandClairewheretheseedsofcommonsensearethrowntothemagpiesoftheatricality. butsobeguilingisthewillfulvulnerabilityofauster'sfantasy,andtheedgyinterplaythatitpotentiatesbetweenThewlisandJacobs,andthecamera,andlaterSophieAuster,andthebroadcomedyofaruraleveryman(MichaelImperioli),thatitisverypleasanttobecarriedalongonthevisualfoamofuncertainsensualdelight,eddyingintoafeelingthatthisfilm'soddlylouchelighttouchisuniquelyadeptattracingsomegravelineamentsofthehumanheart. goinnocently.