Mon: Hey everyone. Welcome to a surprise bonus episode. I’m Mon, and today I’m reviewing the 2025 Whistler Film Festival movie, Arco.
Ron: Before we start our episode, we would like to acknowledge that the land we are recording on is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. It is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Mon: While we are making this land acknowledgement, we understand that this is not enough and that positive action is required by the people of Canada to make substantive change for the Indigenous nations and communities whose lands we now reside on.
What is the film about?
Mon: While I’d love to say I’m coming to you from Whistler, in reality, I watched a screener of Arco from Toronto. A big thank you to Elevation Pictures for sending me this film.
Now, Ron, you and I had wanted to watch Arco at TIFF this year. But schedules got in the way, and we missed it. I’m glad I got a second chance to catch it. Though, I’m guessing, this will be out on Netflix, since Netflix France is one of the producers.
So what is Arco about? It’s so hard to talk about this film, because the whole thing is like… a major spoiler. What I’ll reveal here is only what’s on the Whistler Film Festival website.
Arco is the story of young Iris, who lives under the care of a robot caretaker named Mikki. Iris’ parents are away working – they’re away a lot, and she’s left to her own devices, doing regular kid things.
And then one day, out of the sky, falls Arco. Dressed in a rainbow suit, the boy claims to be… from the future. Together, Iris and Arco embark on a journey to get Arco back home.
What follows is a story of youthful adventure, misadventure, friendship, hope, and consequences.
What did the film do well?
Mon: This film did not go as planned. As soon as it starts, you’ll get the very obvious Studio Ghibli vibes. No harm in being inspired by the best. I especially got Ghibli vibes from the landscapes and backgrounds – the surreal tangible quality of the art, like it’s real but you know someone’s created these astonishing backdrops. Absolutely stunning.
But beyond that, the story never follows a regular path. Even the predictable moments of a story about two disparate children finding each other subverts expectations. It’s great, but also bizarre.
Did I like Arco? I genuinely don’t know. The art was so beautiful. But I kept comparing it to Ghibli films, and feeling like I’d seen perfection already.
Story-wise, it was diverting. I got pulled into the story, questioning the choices by the characters, and wondering what led them to make these decisions. That’s definitely a good sign. You want to ponder the world of the film, not just watch passively.
Kid protagonists are always iffy. They’re not thinking straight, so their decisions are… well, not always great. There’s also a ton of suspension of disbelief needed in this film considering the situations the kids get into.
I can’t quite get over the choices made in the film. It’s been a while since a film left me… freaked out but also impressed. Arco is truly an unexpected experience. I can’t share more than that. Everything is a spoiler!
The cast
Mon: I knew going in that Natalie Portman was part of this production. She’s a producer and voices a couple of characters. Also in the mix is Mark Ruffalo. They’re both very obviously themselves, but there’s comfort in their familiar voices.
The supporting cast is stacked. It’s a pretty small cast, but whoa, lots of known names there. Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Flea, Andy Samberg.
What I liked is that none of the supporting acts hog the space. This is the story of Iris and Arco, and the young voice actors playing them shine through. Romy Fay as Iris and Juliano Valdi as Arco are wonderful. The performances are much more restrained than one would expect from child characters, but it’s essential for a story that’s heavy with emotion and melancholy.
What could have been improved?
Mon: As much as I’m still reeling from watching this film, I do have one criticism – the pacing. The story seemed to be divided into 4 or 5 chapters. Not the worst way to tell a story. But, the pacing for two of those chapters really slowed down.
The chapters also meant I kept thinking the film was ending. But nope, there was another chapter. A lot happens in this story, so it’s a fulfilling experience. But it did need a more cohesive structure.
Final thoughts
Mon: Despite feeling like parts of it dragged, Arco was a visually stunning, impressively immersive story. The worlds of the film are deeply thought out, making you question everything you see.
The voice acting was great – subtle by the big names, and expressive by the child actors.
Every time you think the story will be predictable, Arco hits you with a twist in the tale. This is an unmissable watch. No wonder it’s circling the Oscar buzz.