I'm looking for a word - akin to "non-sensationalistic"

[Rabrrrrrr]

Trying to describe a movie that deals with the death of children (Grave of the Fireflies), I'm trying to find a way to say "It's not a Hallmark movie" and that it is without that something that would be the word that I would put there if it would but come back to me.

Not "maudlin", and it might be "melodramatic", but I'm sure there's a better way to describe it.

A way to say that while the movie isn't a real story about specific and real children, it IS a real, non-sensationalistic depiction of the way that thousands of children were allowed to starve in Japan.

I had the word when I start writing the paragraph, but of course, it left me. A way to say "This isn't a Hallmark or Spielberg manipulate your emotions kind of movie; but one that just tells the story, without any need to broadcast how you should feel about it, or music telling you that you should shed a tear now".

[APPLE314]

1. unpretentious? n/t

[cleofus1]

2. how about

somber...or serious animation...

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. No, none of these are quite it. I came up with "unsentimental",

which is good, but I'm not sure it's the word I'm looking for.

[cleofus1]

4. so you wish to say that it is not cute

as some people may assume it is becouse it is a cartoon...

tough

unemotional

[Spider Jerusalem]

7. Straightforward? Unembellished? Direct? Unadorned?

Brutal? Frank?

[seemunkee]

5. Its an excellent movie

I was going to say mundane until I saw what you were referring to.
Solemn? sublime?

[Heidi]

6. Realistic? Objective? (nt)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

8. Stark? Sobering?

[wildhorses]

10. damn...you took the words right of my keyboard

also: realistic, unbiased, spare, genuine, unsentimental...is close (unapologetic,that is good)

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. I'm thinking unsentimental best gets at what I'm trying to say

stark and realistic are good ones, too.

[wildhorses]

14. another good word

raw....
or perhaps phrases like:
matter of fact
day to day

another word...unceremoniously

good luck with it

[Rowdyboy]

9. Maybe mundane?

Adj. 1. mundane - found in the ordinary course of events; "a placid everyday scene"; "it was a routine day"; "there''s nothing quite like a real...train conductor to add color to a quotidian commute"- Anita Diamant
Synonyms: everyday, quotidian, routine, unremarkable, workaday

2. mundane - concerned with the world or worldly matters; "mundane affairs"; "he developed an immense terrestrial practicality"
Synonyms: terrestrial

3. mundane - belonging to this earth or world; not ideal or heavenly; "not a fairy palace;
yet a mundane wonder of unimagined kind"; "so terrene a being as himself"
Synonyms: terrene

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Terrene - I've learned a new word today!

Never heard that one before. Thanks!

[libertad]

13. understated

.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

15. Unflinching?

[Blue-Jay]

16. Stoic