I couldn't disagree more- a disturbing but BRILLIANT film if you consider who's behind it

Rating: 8/10 (17 September 2008)

As a media student and avid follower of film, I have always believed every so often some of the more disturbing ones need to be seen by everyone to remind them of their humanity and put things into perspective.
I have just returned from watching 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' and I wont give away too much only to say that it was most likely the most upsetting and disturbing film I have ever seen and that is truly saying something. Some of the things I have seen would horrify my mother. Still, go and see it.
I wont give away too much of the plot here but I was left sobbing and shaking and actually couldn't get up at the end.
David Thewlis has always inspired me as an actor; he seems to choose roles that don't always appear to suit him at first. This one, a Nazi commander, must have been immensely difficult to produce but he manages it. The way he is so brutally cold- there is truly nothing behind his eyes. Even with his children it is hard to see the fatherly love. He is, just as his wife says, a monster. In the end I fought hard to see any good in him. This is the let down at the end- even in the face of such tragedy he acts more shocked than horrified, not quite the way a parent would react.
His wife on the other hand (played wonderfully by Vera Farmiga) is constantly believable eventually going mad at the thought of her husbands barbarity and the way in which it is warping the minds of their two children.
The camera work could have been put to better use- this was a wasted chance for some exploratory shots. There is use of shake and zoom to give us a feeling of connection with the characters (especially with young Schmuel) but why not low angle to show a loss of power? Same goes for the sets. Here was a chance to be very dark and daring with buildings (the most striking of which is the 'Nazi' house which reeks of evil in civil clothing) but the stairs to the chamber just weren't symbolic enough for me of the terror awaiting within.
You want confusing characters? Kotler is your chap. Reduced from power crazed mad Nazi terrorist to weak and pathetic in less than a scene and then back again. I was utterly terrified by him; there were times when my hand raised to my mouth after his mouth opened to speak.
All in all, considering the BBC had so much to do with it, I left wondering how on earth this only got a 12 certificate. If I was a parent I don't think I would be sleeping tonight. Scratch that- even knowing I'm not a parent I may not sleep anyway.