Well, this is a really fine example of feel-good cinema that doesn't attempt to be anything else. The screenplay moves at a leisurely pace, letting the protagonist and the supporting characters leave a mark in our minds for just being WHO THEY ARE! There's an air of strangeness to Chihiro who has a way with words, is quick to get people to be on her side, and comes across as a floating cloud. The film showcases her interactions with various folks including a lovely stray cat, a homeless man, an elementary school kid and his mom, a high-school girl, her colleague/friend from an earlier profession, her ex-boss, the people at the bento shop she works at, a motherly figure she keeps visiting at a hospital, and more such.
Every interaction has something to add to Chihiro, who cherishes them with her whole heart even if that involves physical pain (like being stabbed with a compass) or the pain of loneliness (like not caring for the aspect of long-term companionship in love). Kasumi Arimura is a total delight in the role of Chihiro, and how she treats the people around her and the ways she finds happiness in little things, is something worth cheering for. She has come to terms with not finding romance, but has no qualms about offering love in all other forms they come. The changing weather of the town (from quiet to windy to rainy), the scumptious-looking bento plates, the laughs shared between Chihiro and her pals - this is one of those films that doesn't resort to anything superficial to paint a picture of goodness.
