Unexpected Jewel

Rating: 9/10 (19 February 2014)

This movie definitely was not what I expected. It was better. I had seen the previews a while back and knew this was one I had to see.
The story takes place in Germany at the threshold of World War II. It is narrated by Death, whose commentary on events gives one a new perspective. And, unlike other movies set during WWII, this gives a more one-sided view. It shows the impact on one young girl as she goes from a timid child being sent to live with foster parents to enduring the worst part of the war. And yet, through it all, she maintains an innocence despite the things she lives through. She gives feeling to the events as they unfold, which helps the viewer to better understand what it is that she is going through.
The story also is a wonderful illustration of the love of family and friends, how those relationships sustain people in the worst of times. It gives you an understanding of what it was like to be a child in Germany growing up amidst the chaos and poverty of Nazi rule. These people have next to nothing, yet they seem to have all they need in each other.
This is truly a moving story. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry AND it will make you think. I hope you will experience the same range of emotions that I did as I watched this amazing movie! As you get to the end of the movie you will be left with new thoughts and insights, as well as a sense of a sadness for what these families went through.