The Book Thief

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The first film I saw that dealt with World War II through the eyes of a child was 2008's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. While The Book Thief is commendable for its efforts, I'd definitely give the edge to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Why? A better lead performer, a stronger ending, and a story more worthy of telling. But don't get me wrong - up until the end, The Book Thief is an intriguing motion picture about innocence in a time of fear, friendship in a time of war, and hope in a time of bleakness.

In 1938 Germany, Liesel is sent by her mother to live with a different family. Her new parents are Hans and Elsa Hubermann, and while Elsa is initially strict, demanding, and cold to her adoptive daughter, Hans is eager to welcome the child into his home. In the same neighborhood as Liesel is Rudy, an amiable youngster who befriends the shy Liesel. Over the years, Liesel becomes more comfortable in her new home, learns to love and respect the Hubbermann's, and becomes inseparable with Rudy. But as books burn and Jewish-owned businesses become scarce, Liesel becomes nervous with what is becoming of Germany.

One night, Hans and Elsa find themselves housing a fugitive Jew named Max, the son of a man who saved Hans' life in World War I. While Max's presence doesn't make life easy for the couple, he and Liesel become instant friends. Liesel later finds solace in the house of the Bürgermeister, where his wife welcomes Liesel to come over and read with her anytime in their elaborate library. When her husband discovers this, Liesel is told to leave and never return, causing her to sneak into their house to borrow books so she can continue to read.

The Book Thief is a good movie - there's no doubt, but it's a tad slow-paced at times, leaves questions unanswered and doesn't always use its strengths. For example, Nico Liersch shines as Rudy, stealing every scene from Sophie Nélissee in her lead performance as Liesel when they're on the screen together, but he's not in the movie as much as you'll want him to be. The same goes for Max - even though the character is crucial to the story, he takes the back seat for most of the film. Also, what's the story with the Bürgermeister's wife?

The disappointments were minimal, but still left a major impact on my feelings toward the film. I have two main criticisms. The first is the casting of Sophie Nélissee as Liesel. In my eyes, her performance never amounts to anything spectacular, especially in comparison to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The lead in that movie went on to star in Ender's Game and Martin Scorcese's Hugo, because people saw talent in the young Asa Butterfield. Nothing about the young Sophie drags your eyes to her, unfortunately. The second criticism goes to the ending. Without giving away their identities, I will say that many characters die in the end. But the ones who do die and the circumstances of their deaths leave you asking many questions. Why? What purpose does their death serve? What message is it sending? What does it all mean?

Granted, World War II has been studied and converted into historical fiction for decades, and whenever a new perspective of the time comes along, most people find it worthy of exploring unless it's really bad. With its costume and set design, impressive performances from the supporting cast, and immersive breadth of ideas explored, The Book Thief is worth a watch. Having said that, make sure you check out The Boy in the Striped Pajamas first.

Rating: 3.5/5