The Boy in the striped Pyjamas film only review (The Boy In Striped Pyjamas (DVD))

Member Name: stephbond89

Product:	The Boy In Striped Pyjamas (DVD)
Date:	09/10/09 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great film, amazing storyline.

Disadvantages: The english accents on apparently German people.

The boy in the striped Pyjamas film only review

Details:
Directed By: Mark Herman
Release Date: 12/09/08
Certification: 12A
Genre: Drama
Based on a book by John Boyne

Plot:
When a Nazi officer and his family are sent to live on a refugee camp during World War II, his family know nothing of the terrors which lie beyond the metal gates, all they know is the "jews are bad", and that they are been kept in the camps working, apparently leading a perfectly happy life.

Bruno is the families 8yr old son, he doesn't want to leave his home, but he is forced to move to the country for his fathers promotion with the Nazi army, but he soon discovers he can explore much more here than in his old home of Berlin, and soon starts wandering around the grounds.
Within a couple of days he finds a friend, Shmuel (pronounched Shmo), a Jew living beyond the elecrofied metal railings, wearing blue and white striped pyjamas, he too is 8 years old, but is sad looking and always asking for food and acting shifty. Running away when he hears the ringing of the bell.

Bruno is confused by the boy in the pyjamas, and why he isn't allowed to come past the gates.
Soon Bruno's mother discovers the truth behind the smelly smoke which is coming from the chimneys in the camp, when one of her husbands co-workers lets the truth out claiming "They smell even worse when they're burning don't they?", horrifying the young woman who decides she is getting her children Bruno and the impressionable Gretal away from the horrible place immediately.

But could it be too late, when Bruno digs a hole under the razor wire and clambers beyond into the Jews camp to help Shmuel find his dad who has gone missing...
With his mother and father desperately trying to find him, and Bruno completely unaware of where he is going, will it all end in tears for the family?

The story is of course of Nazi Germany, and based on the book by John Boyne of the same name written in 2006 and essentially a children's book (think Goodbye Mister Tom set in WWI rather than II), I have not read the book personally, but I have been told that the book is much better than the film (well this tends to be the case most of the time doesn't it!), but that it's a good representation of the book.
The story isn't a true story, and infact has been slated by critics as it's not plausible in Auschwitz death camp during WWII. But John Boyne wrote in his book: "Note to reader: : There were no nine-year-old Jewish boys in Auschwitz - the Nazis immediately gassed those not old enough to work. Also, the Auschwitz death camp was surrounded by electric fences, making any attempts to crawl in through a hole impossible."
Although it's not a true story, it's extremely sad and it is very believable.

Opinion:
First off, I need to criticise one part of the film, the accents of the German family. Of course, for watchability, the film is not in German with subtitles, the film is English. This I don't mind, but the fact the families accents are extremely posh English accents it puts you off a little, and you tend to forget who they are supposed to be. But it's something I will let slide as the film other than that is excellent.
This film was recommended to me by my mum who has read the book, and then watched the film, and I found it on Sky Anytime at my m ums and me and my husband watched it with my brother.

I really enjoyed this film, I didn't think I would if I'm honest it isn't really my kind of film, I don't really like war films which I thought this would be, but the story doesn't focus at all on the war, just the things that happened during the war with the Jews and Hitlers views towards them.

If you didn't have any prior knowledge of WWII, and didn't know about the Jews you wouldn't have a clue what was going on if I'm honest, but as most people today know the basics of Hitler and the Holocaust, that shouldn't be an issue.

The ending of the film is extremely sad, but I think it could have gone on a little longer, the ending came around and was over before it really happened properly leaving you wondering a little bit about what might have happened next, maybe an extra 10 minutes to the film, just with the next bits would have made it alot better.

You really will need a tissue though if you are watching this film. I was shocked that my husband enjoyed the film, he loves action films, and I often laugh with him about the films he watches only been about drugs and violence , but he actually chose this film and really enjoyed it, which just goes to show, this film is for everyone! In my family I have a 13 yr old boy, 57 yr old mother, 66 yr old dad and then me and my husband who are 20 and 22, all of whom loved this film.

Watch this film if you like dramas, and if you don't mind a tear in your eye! :)

Summary: An amazing film!