A challenging, heart-breaking and brilliant movie

Rating: 8/10 (17 May 2009)

A powerful piece of film-making that stayed with me long after I walked out of the cinema. Nicely paced, disturbing and brilliant. An intriguing look at one of the darkest chapters of human history, and by telling the tale through the eyes of the innocent and charming eight year old Bruno, they have come up with a way to give a new voice to a genre that is known for its heart breaking brutality.
There is violence here as well I suppose, but it is an implied violence – violence that occurs just around the corner and out of eyeshot for Bruno. You know that it is taking place on both a personal and systemic level, but you never really witness it directly. It shows the sort of understated subtlety we've come to expect from Director Mark Herman (Brassed Off, Little Voice) who has turned in another impressive film here.
Asa Butterfield is cast perfectly as Bruno, showing the right sort of charm and wide eyed innocence that allows this movie to move along at a steady pace, without becoming mired in the details of the atrocities that are occurring around him. David Thewlis (The Harry Potter Series) also deserves a mention for his outstanding portrayal as Bruno's Dad.
Some movies hurt like a kick to the groin but leave you all the better for it. This is one of those movies.
Full review here for those with an interest.
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