Tuesday, June 2, 2020

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)


Genre: Drama
Directed by: Mark Herman
Starring: Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Ruper Friend
Running time: 94 minutes



Based on the novel of the same name, written by John Boyne, this film tells the story of Bruno, a young boy who moves from Berlin to occupied Poland with his family during World War II. Bruno’s father is a Nazi soldier who just got promoted. Exploring near his new home, Bruno finds an extermination camp. Across the barbed wire fence, he sees Shmuel, a Jewish boy his age. Not understanding that he is supposed to hate the “enemy”, Bruno strikes up a friendship with Shmuel.

This film was accused of being historically inaccurate, of trivializing the Holocaust for the purpose of a story and of diverting the role of victim in the end. Those are all good points. There is also the fact that you have a mostly British cast playing German characters.

Nonetheless, this is a compelling story that will be sure to pull on the heartstrings. When kids are involved, it that much more emotionally-charged. The cast itself does a good job. I was moved, without a doubt, though this film is certainly not without fault. It remains a nice story about the innocence of youth still uncorrupted by the hatreds of adults. It still applies today.
Rating: «««

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