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Disclaimer: the following review may contain minor spoilers of the previous TV series/prequel. I take it you have finished watching the og Violet Evergarden prior to coming to this section.

Love can be deceitful. Love can hurt. Love can betray. Even more so when people that you've known for a long time change as time flows.
Letters transcend the barrier named time. It's a means capable of bringing together those who are set apart by spiritually conveying the weight of their emotions.

The theme above isn't only intended to be a message behind this movie, but also more than adequate to get a glimpse of Violet as a ... character. Violet Evergarden: Movie convincingly explores this theme while partaking in the everyday life of its protagonist, Violet Evergarden. Ever since she had decided to work as a doll at CH Postal Company, her presence not only impacted the lives of her colleagues, but also those who seek for her help to write letters on their behalf. Since then, Violet transformed the place in which she lives and lent her hand to people who got stuck in their past by conveying their feelings through a piece of letter that would hopefully reach the hands of its receiver in the far-future.

So let's commence the main appetizer without further ado.

STORY:
The storyline of this movie progresses linearly forward, albeit being divided into 3 plot essences. The first tells us about the story of a girl in the future named Daisy in her attempt to unveil the figure behind Violet Evergarden and the legacy that she had left within her family. In the second part, we are introduced to yet another brand-new character named Yurith. An adolescent who had to be admitted to the hospital due to suffering from an incurable disease. The third and final chapter involves Violet herself in her struggles to forget her feelings for Major Gilbert that had blossomed within her heart ever since she decided to figure out the meaning of the Major's last words in their premature farewell. At first glance there may exist thoughts in the audience's mind, such as the three chapters being unrelated. But thankfully, Violet Evergarden: Movie elegantly interweaves the unseen threads that connect them to tell us a really magnificent story. The nuance, as well as the depths of emotions displayed on the screen gives off the impression that the proportion of storytelling between these three chapters are done right and equally important to contributing to the build-up as a whole, from the very beginning until the epilogue, which serves as a curtain-closing conclusion. Although yes, it may contain minor changes which can be spotted by the readers of the original novel, but using anime as a medium, this adaptation has given its all to satiate its audiences and not that far-off from the word "perfect". Some important scenes might seem quite predictable, but it's to be expected anyway.

ART & ANIMATION:
It's become a well-known open secret that the name of the franchise "Violet Evergarden" whose adaptations are being carried out by KyoAni often gets mentioned when we're talking about the graphic standards of animation nowadays, and truthfully I don't think there exist many animes who could come close to this masterwork, at least for a few more periods. Frankly, I'm not an expert at this topic but even then it doesn't prevent me from saying that the animation is masterfully woven to the point as if watching it forces you to acknowledge and admire all the efforts poured by the staffs, all for the sake of creating frames that are highly detailed in and of itself. Be it indoor or outdoor scenes, both are breathtaking in their own ways and ignite a spark of excitement for the audience. For instance the animations of seawater and waves crashing really captivated my eyes, and the landscape of Leiden exudes the imprint of how it's like if we lived as a citizen there through spectacular panoramas and dynamic camera movement. What is there to say but "KyoAni outdone themselves"?

AUDIO:
The music and sounds that are being served are perfectly synced and fit to every second of the movie. The BGM doesn't half-heartedly coalesce with the atmosphere and tone currently in motion. One of the most memorable scenes that left me drowning in tears was when the ever-iconic Michishirube got played during the climax. Seriously KyoAni? How could you do mess with my feelings :( jk
On top of that, the minor sound effects such as waves crashing are also exceptionally handled to the point it got me wondering, had I not watched this movie in a theatre with adequate sound-system, perhaps the impressions that were intended to be escorted to the audience wouldn't have been this spot-on. So of course, watching this in a room with Dolby System proved to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

CHARACTERS AND VA:
The characteristics of the cast in Violet Evergarden: Movie are various and all has unique traits to each their own. If you've watched the TV series (which I assume you have), it's almost a given that perhaps at some point you came to a realisation that the tropes that are exhibited by the characters are not too uncommon in the world of anime. For instance, the straightforward and sincere Violet who's also a bit of an airhead in the beginning, the supportive and caring Lodgins as though a figure of a father to Violet, Iris the carefree and easygoing character, and also the cold, antagonistic Dietrich who seem to hold hostility due to seemingly having undergone a difficult past, all of these does not mitigate the writing values of the aforementioned characters. The point is, casts in Violet Evergarden: Movie are exceptionally depicted and are multiply-faceted. Emotional moments of Violet steer us around on the verge of sadness and cold words that come out of Gilbert's lips leave us shaking our heads and lowkey frustrated. Moreover, one of the aspects that I highly admire about this series is that almost every character receives their own portion of development. Often times many valuable lessons can be plucked from their struggles to come in terms with their loved ones. On top of that, the chemistry that emerges within them characters are very likeable and turns out to be a nifty factor due to not being discernably enforced and feels natural, thus indirectly contributing to making the characters feel more alive than ever.
The voice actors stole the show with their splendid accomplishment. Voicing is phenomenal. There are visible signs of life and overflowing emotions in every single dialogue. Top notch performance.

OVERALL ENJOYMENT:
Despite being a relatively strenuous melodrama with little-to-no comedy scenes, I really enjoyed watching it as a whole. The dialogues, conflicts, interactions and everything. All the efforts exerted by KyoAni makes it a classy show that can be enjoyed not only be anime-watchers, but also people outside of the cluster.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
All in all, Violet Evergarden: Movie is one hell of a show that carries out a message of love in a universal way than people can relate to, that is, love and affection towards those around us that often times we're not aware of through the marvelous journey of Violet Evergarden in her day-to-day routine of expressing words of love, compassion, and hope on a piece of letter while still being reminded of her past and having to settle it once and for all. Truly an epitome of how a good SoL melodrama should be executed.