The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2024)

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Critic Reviews for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Audience Reviews for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

• Feb 28, 2013

  The negative criticism of this film seems to be because a) for a children's film the denouement is far too horrific and b) the film trivialises the holocaust. This film is, obviously, not a documentary, or a thorough look at the holocaust, or an exhaustive epic. Instead, it is a powerful, beautifully acted film largely seen from the point of view of an eight year old trying to make sense of something that doesn't, given conflicted information, or shielded, or subjected to dangerous propaganda, or denied voice (the mother is a particularly fascinating character, acted with quiet anger by Vera Farmiga). The ending is undeniably powerful but to say that it is "too much" is a condescending viewpoint of children and what they understand (which paradoxically ties into the film's very theme). Taken as what it is - which in no way is a criticism - this film is practically a masterpiece.

  Super Reviewer

• Jan 20, 2013

  Popularity of a Labrador, bravado of a Bulldog, confused as a co*ckerpoo and Totally Shih-Tzu. This WWII drama follows Bruno and his German family from their family home in Berlin to their new house following his Father's promotion. His Father is presumably an SS Officer and he is to become the new Governor of a concentration camp (loosely based on Auschwitz). The new home is next to the camp and the audience watch as Bruno slowly finds out more and more about the situation as the wool can no longer be pulled over his eyes. It is very much a movie about viewing the holocaust through the eyes of a child. When he views the camp for the first time through his bedroom window (having been shielded from the truth by his parents) he thinks he can see farmers tendering the land in their nightwear. I am very interested in anything related to the Second World War. I really wanted to like this film, but I can't; 'cos it's crap. Many people who have seen the film find it shocking. I must admit that I did too. We see the Swastika's flying on the red Nazi flags, the German troops and are aware we are in the German capital in the 1940's. The first man opens his mouth to speak and out flows the English language. I found this shocking, but was intrigued to see how this would work. As the film continued my irritation was building to a crescendo. It's not like Schindler's List where, everyone speaks with various accents, but speak English as it's an American Movie. The Nazis speak with the thickest of English accents, as do the Jews, the children and the rest of the world presumably. It really is the clearest "Queens English", I can just image one of the SS officers turning to the other and saying; "Pardon me old boy, would you mind awfully if we stopped for a spot of afternoon tea before we stroll over the road and bump 'orf a couple of dozen gentlemen of the Jewish persuasion?"Image a new movie is coming out called "Churchill", which is made by Germans but set in England. Imagine that we're in the height of WW2 and the family gather around the wireless to hear our Prime Minister speak. We hear him deliver his most famous of speeches - "We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender". Now image that its delivered in the thickest German you've ever heard! Personally I find this aspect of the film insulting. As a Brit and for the Germans. It's not a subtle thing, its very "in your face" and clearly done on purpose. It doesn't stop at the language either. Everything about this movie wreaks of English culture. I did consider whether it was portrayed like this so the audience would relate more or perhaps to bridge a cultural separation. But for whatever reason, it doesn't work and was a poor choice. Especially in the scene where they view the film that has been made to eradicate peoples doubts in the camp - that its more of a holiday camp than a death camp. Moving on; everything from the acting, to the music, to the wardrobe is inaccurate, weak and feels like a cheap amateur production. The story is supposed to be a tragedy, but I couldn't get into the film enough to feel anything. It's just too unbelievable. I can't believe that some of the actors were selected for their roles. I just can't understand why. Maybe they were the only ones to turn up on the day? Jack Scanlon (Shmuel) is particularly bad. As far as acting goes, I feel Henry Kingsmill (who played Karl) was the best by a long way. More convincing than anyone else on screen throughout. For me, the movie is all mixed up, back to front and round the wrong way. Jewish characters played by clearly non-Jewish actors, the movie is all in English but the literature is in German, the German child is brunette and the Jewish child is blonde and most notably 6,000,000 Jews were murdered in the holocaust yet this is a tragic story of 1 Nazi child who was killed alongside. If you swap the Nazi's, the Jew's and the concentration camp for Al Qaeda, American citizens and the Twin Towers America would boycott the movie and label it as seriously poor taste.On a positive note, I felt that certain scenes seemed metaphorical. Which I found quite insightful. Such as when Bruno (Asa Butterfield - one of the better actors in the movie) lies about being friends with Shmuel out of fear. As maybe many Germans did at the time. I found the scene where his Father is deciding to "come clean" and tells his son; "Those people ... are not really people at all" quite a good reflection on how Germany saw Jews, as parasites. I would have liked to see that scene go on a little longer. Perhaps to answer some of the questions Bruno may have asked.I found it a clever idea that Bruno asked questions and in the lack of response the viewer seems to answer them in their own mind. This way it becomes very personal. It would have been very powerful, if it wasn't so transparent. In short The Boy in Striped Pajamas strives to be a sentimental, heartfelt, shocking tale of discovery. But is ultimately an unbelievable, naive, clearly fictional story that is only shocking to those previously unaware of the situation. It loses marks for being unconvincing, making poor choices in direction, being weak throughout and personally found it insulting to me and the darkest hour of World War II.

  Super Reviewer

• Oct 27, 2012

  Moving film about those in concentration camps in WWII. Good performances.

  Super Reviewer

• Jun 17, 2012

  An oversimplification of the Holocaust, yes, as a very young German boy during WWll accidentally discovers exactly what his camp commandant dad does for a living, but to be forgiven its chosen naive viewpoint in respect to its chosen naive audience: a perfect film for schools.

  kevin w Super Reviewer