I want to say first that this movie is not a remake of the Miyazaki Hayao film! They are both based on the same children's book by Eiko Kadono (who also makes a cameo in the movie). Keep this in mind if you decide to watch this.

Though nowhere near the brilliance of Miyazaki's classic, it manages to stand on its own. It suffers from a few issues common with live-action adaptations. The CGI animals for instance, especially the baby hippo. I found it distracting for some reason. In some scenes it was a puppet, others full CGI. Other than that, the film's effects were pretty good such as Kiki flying. As for actors, I absolutely loved Koshiba Fuka (Kiki) and Miyazawa Rie (Kiki's mother). They were great in my opinion. Tombo's (Hirota Ryohei) character took a minute for me to warm up to. I found him very abrasive at first, though I liked him by the end of the movie.

Though not a certifiable hit like the 1989 movie, this film was fun overall and a perfect pick for children. I was touched during several moments and even cried during the climax. Watch this only if you're willing not to compare it too harshly to Miyazaki's movie (though I also realize comparisons are always inevitable).