Gives a Youth Perspective of Surviving the Holocaust

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2013)

I bet you have seen many movies that have narration but I bet you haven't seen one like this. In this movie, the narrator is Death. The Book Thief is about a young girl whose brother dies and her mother abandons her - all at the age of 11. She's adopted by an older couple in Nazi Germany. Her foster father teaches her how to read which lights a fire inside of her to read and read and read. Again, since this is Nazi Germany, books are very hard to find. The only way she can get more books is to "borrow" them. Also, her family agrees to hide a young Jewish man in their basement which puts the young girl's family at great risk. But, the young girl and the young man become very good friends, helping each other through hard times. During this time, there are many people dying so Death is very nearby and has a lot to say. The Book Thief is all told from Death's perspective. The lead characters are the young girl, Liesel Meminger played by up- and-coming actress Sophie Nelisse and her foster father and mother played by Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. These characters try to live a normal life while fighting for it. One of my favorite scenes is when a friend of Liesel's, Rudy, goes to the running track and covers himself in mud so he can look like Olympic Track Star Jessie Owens. I like this scene because it shows how Rudy didn't believe what Hitler was saying and supported Liesel and her family. The look and sound of this film helps convey the emotional story of Liesel and her friends and family. The sets and costumes are all beautiful and really portray 1940s Germany. The music is sad but also, hopeful. The cinematography is beautiful and also lets us see the harshness of their lives. The message of this movie is "to stand up for what you believe and don't let a group of people tell you otherwise." I recommend this movie to ages 9 and up. Although this is a sweet passionate film it does take place in Nazi Germany which includes violence and death. I give this movie five out of five stars because the idea of having the narrator be Death really grabbed my attention and held my attention to this unbelievable story to the very end. Reviewed by KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Canela R.