It is a rare feat in mainstream cinema when a film opens your emotions wide and asks you to think deep while simultaneously being wonderfully entertained. A brilliantly done mash-up of body-swapping fantasy and classic teenage romance, the Japanese animation film Your Name achieves high scores in both the entertainment and deep-thinking categories all while breaking new ground in the Japanese anime genre. See yourname.com/ .
There is a magic in this film that seems to resonate with people of all ages. What is it about Your Name that speaks to multiple generations?
The film starts with the monologue, “I feel like I am always searching for someone and missing something.” This strong feeling of longing for that someone you are destined to meet is what all of us share whether it is a teenager who ponders on this daily or an adult who remembers the familiar yearning inside them which may be long gone. And for that reason the film resonates with multiple generations.