a Thought Provoking Tale

Rating: 8/10 (11 May 2010)

When The Boy in Striped Pajamas was released, I was interested in seeing it but it was not shown in many theaters except the late night artsey fartsy Cineplex's, so I waited and caught it on cable. It is sometimes slow moving but the story indicates that the evils of the world can invade a simple childhood idyllic world itself.
First, you meet one of the main central characters, Bruno, son of a Nazi officer. Bruno seems to be a cloistered child, usually in books or his own imagination. One can argue that he is somewhat naive not seeing the Jewish hatred earlier with his sister joining the Hitler Youth or racist discussions at the dinner table.
Bruno out of boredom and loneliness meets Schmuel, a Jewish child who is imprisoned in a Concentration camp near Bruno's home. It is somewhat a wonder how Schmual survived the selection process when he first entered the camp (history shows that children were murdered quickly or taken for "experiments") but a friendship eventually forms between these two. Bruno does not see him as a Jew but just another child to talk too. And it seems thru this relationship Bruno is finally opening his eyes and seeing the hatred against the Jews because he does little things to try to help Schmuel--smuggle food, listen to stories, play some games....
Finally, He tries to help Schmuel again by smuggling himself in the camp and sees all the hidden horrors. The ending is very sad and tragic. All of this story is thru the eyes of two children......And the horrors witnessed thru a child's eyes brought his family to full circle by seeing their wrong racist views against the Jews