Stunning!

Rating: 9/10 (16 February 2009)

There have been many films over years that have told about the Holocaust but how many i wonder have been told from the side of the Germans or in this case a German child ? Although " The boy in the striped pajamas" has a brutal subject matter it is a surprisingly gentle movie ( apart from the climax of the film) and without a doubt this is one of my favourite movies of 2009 so far.
Bruno, is the son of strict commander of a Nazi concentration camp. He has a strong headed sister, Gretel. They live in a five storey mansion, but are one day suddenly moved to a place called OutWith (Auschwitz). Bruno, outraged by his father's decision to move to OutWith, and desperate to go home, spends his time in his room with no friends. He is also annoyed by the fact that they live in a three story house instead of their old fivestory mansion, and with such a small space, there isn't any room for exploration to be done. He also misses sliding down the banister in their old house.
From his bedroom window, Bruno spots a fence with people in striped pyjamas behind it. These are the Jews, and they are in a concentration camp. One day his parents come to an agreement that both Bruno and Gretel need a tutor for their education so they hire Herr Liszt. To Bruno, Herr Liszt is the most boring teacher one could ever have  because he teaches science instead of the arts, which Bruno prefers. So, in boredom and confusion he wonders what is going on at OutWith and why people are always dressed in striped pajamas there.
It takes a great writer to tell a story about such evil especially through the eyes of a child and Mark Herman's screenplay of the novel by John Boyne is a fantastic adaptation.
The dialogue is delightful and only enhanced by some stunning acting. Asa Butterfield is fantastic as the Bruno the son of a Nazi officer and his scenes with Jack Scanlon (Shmuel) are deserved of the highest praise. There are also great performances from David Thewlis ( The Nazi Father) and David Hayman ( The Jewish Servant).
This is a film about childhood innocence and friendship and how children are taught to hate and are not born thinking that way.
The final ten minutes is a stunning example of film making .It looks amazing yet is still horrific and it's hard not to feel deep emotion in what is unfolding in front of your eyes.
I'm not sure how much of a distribution this movie got in the States ( not much i suspect) when it was released in November but so far it has grossed $31m worldwide which is fantastic achievement for a fairly low budget BBC film and just goes to show what a great film this really is. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas ( UK Spelling) is released on DVD on March the 9th here in the UK.
Highly recommended .
9 out of 10