The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Mark Herman

Writers:

John Boyne (novel)
Mark Herman (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 November 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Set during World War II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

László Áron
Amber Beattie	...	Gretel
Asa Butterfield	...	Bruno
Attila Egyed
Vera Farmiga	...	Mother
Béla Fesztbaum
Rupert Friend	...	Lt Kotler
Sheila Hancock	...	Grandmother
Gábor Harsai
David Hayman	...	Pavel
Zsuzsa Holl
Cara Horgan	...	Maria
Richard Johnson
Henry Kingsmill
Domonkos Meinberg
Domonkos Németh
Jim Norton	...	Herr Liszt
Zac Mattoon O'Brien
Jack Scanlon	...	Shmuel
Gábor Szebényi	...	Jewish Prisoner
David Thewlis	...	Father
Iván Verebély

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust.

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Ireland:12A | UK:12A

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

Although the concentration camp where the movie is set is never actually mentioned by name throughout the movie, we know it is Auschwitz because it was the only Nazi death camp with 4 crematoria. The SS officers are discussing the building's construction in the Commandant's office when Bruno's mother interrupts the meeting.

Utterly Devastating

My fiancé and I purchased tickets for a special advanced screening of this movie during the Carnegie Film Festival in Dunfermline, Fife. I didn't realise, but we were one of the first people to see it. I will try and not spoil it and keep the review very simple and straight forward.

The film is mainly shot through the eyes of Bruno played by Asa Butterfield growing up in war time Germany during the holocaust. After relocating at the will of the German Army, the film then centres on the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel (Jack Scanlon). I will end it there as I don't wish to spoil the rest of the film.

Putting to one side the fact that everyone has a flawless English accent (which does make it difficult to hate them at first), the cinematics, sound, editing and above all acting are a credit to the British film industry.

Asa Butterfield is fine young actor and I'm sure will be destined for even greater things in the future.

As I mentioned above, I won't give anything away, but I will say that this is the first time I have been to the Cinema and everyone sat quiet right up until the end of the credits.

Please, please see this film. It will remain with you for a long time.