The Book Thief (2013)
Certified: 12 A
Duration: 131 minutes
Directed by: Brian Percival
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Sophie Nélisse, Emily Watson, Ben Schnetzer, Nico Liersch, Joachim Paul Assböck, Sandra Nedeleff, Hildegard Schroedter, Roger Allam, Barbara Auer
KRS release

The Book Thief is set in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) is a young girl who does not know how to read. Her younger brother had died when they were going to live with their foster parents, Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa Hubermann (Emily Watson).

Rosa is a harsh and strict figure, and is the one to bring home the money. She works as a laundry woman and washes the clothes of many people in the area, including those of the wife of the Burgomeister, Ilsa Hermann (Barbara Auer). On the other hand, Hans is quiet and artistic, and he starts to teach Liesel how to read and write.

Classmate Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch) is soon infatuated with Liesel, even though his admiration for African-American Olympic gold winner Jesse Owens makes the others around him look at him negatively. Meanwhile, Franz Deutscher (Levin Liam) picks on Liesel. The girl befriends Ilsa, who like her has a passion for books.

Liesel’s love of books knows no bounds, especially when they take in a Jewish refugee, Max Vanderburg (Ben Schnetzer), who is trying to escape the ever-increasing violence towards Jews and World War II approaches.

In 2005, Australian author Markus Zusak wrote the young adult novel The Book Thief, which ended up in the New York Times bestseller list for 230 weeks. This German-American production is directed by Brian Percival, a British director whose filmography includes seven episodes of the Downton Abbey series.

This film provides a new slant on Hollywood’s take on Nazi Germany. It is not focused on portraying the Holocaust but rather on how life in Nazi Germany had an impact on the common people. It’s a fresh slant that, along with some really good performances, makes The Book Thief accomplished viewing.

At the centre of the film is young Nélisse, who brings a wide-eyed naivety and charm. The camera captures a thousand emotions in those shimmering Bambi-type eyes, as she experiences both the horror around her and the joys of reading.

The plot starts off a bit slowly, but once it gets going, The Book Thief had me on board completely. Watson delivers a strong performance, but it is Rush who is the clear winner here, as he presents a character who looks at life and the world in general with a sort of never-give-up attitude. He brings a compassionate side to the film that is admirable.

Liersch is sympathetic as the boy who wants to kiss Liesel and be Jesse Owens, and Schnetzer delivers his role without overdoing it.

The film is bookended by a narration from Death (who was very busy at this time) and has a production style that is very atmospheric.

The emotions are further reinforced by the score of John Williams, one of the greatest film composers of all time.

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