Excellent direction and acting

Rating: 8/10 (14 November 2009)

What can I say? I was a little shocked by the ending, however, I felt that something dreadful would happen, but was hoping for a reprieve.
David always gives a chilling performance as father and the two boys, they should be given awards.
Sheila Hancock as Grandma was quite open about what she thought about her son's promotion and her son telling her to shut up otherwise she would get into trouble. But explained how some German's didn't approve of 'The Final Solution'.
My only spoiler if you can call it that, I got a bit confused about what year it was supposed to be in? Was it towards the end of the war? And Bruno's mother devastation to find out what the smell was and wishing to remove her children from the area. Could she be that naive?
The propaganda film composed by 'father' and poor Bruno when he recognized the stepping stones allegedly the Jewish children were playing on. The sad realization of how both boys tried to avoid the truth of their situation, but ended up holding hands. Some tears came then I can tell you.
I thought it was a good film, not a block buster, however, acting and direction were without fault I thought. I watched it on DVD, and am not sure if it ever made the big screen.