The next day, the whole ghetto knows about the radio. The more Jakob tries to deny this, the more the inhabitants of the camp believe that he actually has one. Jakob, upon hearing this, continues his fake broadcasts. The Liar is that with all the opportunities to go for the Patch Adams schmaltz factor, it rarely does. Case in point is Jakob's relationship with the little girl.
Life Is Beautiful .
Thankfully, that never occurs. Jakob is scared he'll be found out, and treats her gruffly, telling her to stay in her room and never come out unless he says so. As a result, she's rather afraid of him, and their relationship never descends into false sentimentality. As Lina, Hannah Taylor Gordon is emotionally real. A very good performance in a difficult role from a young actor.