Held together by a 12 year old

Rating: 8/10 (27 February 2014)

13-year old Liesel, having lost her family, is placed with foster parents (stern, forbidding Rosa (Emily Watson) and kind, sensitive Hans (Geoffrey Rush)) in a small rural German town during World War II. The film tells the story of her learning to read, her friendship with neighbour boy Rudi, the sanctuary Hans and Rosa offer to Jewish fugitive Max, and the consequences of these and other things.
This film is based on a book I have not read, and I should start by saying that in many respects it strikes me as being somewhat derivative - there appear to be elements sourced from The Diary of Anne Frank in particular, The Pianist, Fahrenheit 451, Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics (the use of Death as a major character - here he is the narrator), and more. But Harry Potter had multiple sources, and look how that turned out. The fact that you can see the antecedents of a particular piece does not necessarily mean that the creator of that secondary piece has not fashioned something which stands on its own two feet.
And that is the case here. For over two hours, Liesel's story keeps us enthralled, moving adeptly between the concerns of a 13-year old and the horrific reality of living in wartime Germany. Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush (and Roger Allam as the voice-over Death) are the only Names in the cast, and they (and everyone else) are all first rate.
But this film hinges on the ability of French-Canadian Sophie Nélisse, aged 12 while this film was being made, to hold things together - a major 2 hour movie with a great deal of thematic depth, emotional nuance, and intense drama. And she is, quite simply, superb. Her omission from this year's Oscar nominations is regrettable, although I am sure her time will come - already, one can see strong indications of the adult actress she will become. I think she will transition from child performer very well indeed.
Having been thoroughly engaged throughout, the two sequences which make up the ending ripped my heart to pieces and put it together again. I recommend this film highly.
Postscript: Repeated watchings do not diminish this film: it remains superb.
I have subsequently read the book which is, quite simply, one of the most dazzling pieces of writing I have ever encountered. Watch this film, and read this book!