Beautiful

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2016)

All too often one ends up on IMDb writing negative reviews for the plethora of trash film making that seems so common these days, combined with terrible reality television shows (cough cough Kardashians cough cough rubbish)...
Anyways, for a change I found this film, and having recalled reading the book I thought i'd check it out.
Really it is just one of those stories quietly told, the inner sadness of a girl given up, who along the way grows her inner strength, her joy at life and her compassion for others at the same time that she grows to love her new 'parents' and her friend Rudy.
To be honest, I recall little of the book, I know I enjoyed it because I know I have a hard copy in a storage box somewhere, but because my memory is not what it once was I can't entirely compare the film to the book.... sorry.
But I digress, the relationship with her new parents grows, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson are up to their usual standard of amazing, Emily has always had the ability (to me) to play these quiet characters, understated, and yet you learn through her quietness the strength of self and the huge well of love she has, Geoffrey does something similar, through his quiet resolve, his determination to keep his family safe it is obvious that his character to is a well of love, compassion and warmth.
Sophie Nélisse is a delight, a gorgeous girl who portrays a character of warmth, humour, fun, and that typical youthful wish to rebel. She is a delight to watch as she inhabits the character so well, and tells the story of her life so beautifully. Her evolution in life and her learning to love reading are to me so typical of many of us, it tells a truthful story in this sense.
Nico Liersch is Rudy is also a joy, his not so secret love shows itself in unexpected places and lifts what could be a sad moment into one of happiness. He plays his character with a sense of wonder and curiosity about him, he appears to live life to the full and seems strangely apart from all the Nazi activity about him, no doubt this is more the script than the acting, but its a part I thought interesting.
These two fine actors will I hope grow and become better known, if these is a early career highlight for them, then both seem to full of potential.
Lastly, the narration, it is beautifully done, sometimes you don't really notice it but you absorb the words. The last narration is full of heart, of love and sadness and it makes you wonder if indeed some aspect of this narrators existence does exist - wouldn't we all love to know the answer to that?
In conclusion, this is a gorgeous film, it tells stories of friendship and trust, of love and of loss, of humanity lost and found, to see it will remain with you, and to not spend the time seeing it is a pity for you will be the poorer for that choice.