The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Vera Farmiga is the only name in this movie that could be recognizable. She was the police psychiatrist in the outstanding movie The Departed. David Thewlis is also in this movie, he has been in many others.

This is not a movie my fat dad would enjoy or sit through. Thewlis is the warden of a Jewish concentration camp in Germany during the early days of World War II. He moves his family to the gorgeous countryside to be closer to his work. The home is not that far from the camp, about 1 kilometer. This leads to some trouble since his son, the main character, Bruno, walks around the home and finds the concentration camp. Right on the other side of the barbed wire, is a similiar aged Jewish boy sitting, playing with rocks. Schmall is his name, and this relationship is the spine or backbone of the movie.

Bruno sneaks food to him and gives it to him through the barb wire. Schmall devours this food as any malnourished human would.

The movie is not terribly exciting, the musical score is nonexistent.

Farmiga is not sure what her husband is doing at the camp. She knows they are housing Jews but she she finds out they are burning and incinerating them, she goes ballistic. Any sane and right minded person would. Later on in the film, the father informs the children to consider moving to a safer or less potentially disturbing area. But they do not move away to soon, tragedy unfolds.

This concentration camp is obviously a brutal place. This movie displays the evil and nasty mindset of the German heirarchy and populace. Some scenes are difficult to watch but it is not as bad or powerful as Schindler's list. It is not as long, nor will it's mark be put in history as that indelible movie has been.

Bruno dies at the end. He never realized how seriousness of the times. What 8 year would? Unless they were in the camp themselves as Schmall was. Brunu is gassed just like his father was gassing many countless amount of Jews.

On the day they were supposed to move out, Bruno and Schmall had devised a plan. Schmall found an extra striped uniform, gave it to Bruno on the other side of the barbed wire fence and Bruno put that death uniform on. He snuck through the fence and entered into the prison camp. He wanted to help his friend Schmall find his parents. His parents had already been transformed into another physical matter. His parents were no longer with us. They were caught in the whirlwind of a group of Jewish prisoners who were set to be killed. Both of them thought it was just a uncomfortable group shower. Ofcourse, being small children, locked inside, they would not have been able to do anything regarding their circumstances.

Farmiga followed her husband as he tore through the area and into the prison in a frantic search. This desperate search was for naught. The movie has a horrendous ending, but it was riveting. I had to watch this, rather than just listen.

This movie was sort of point less. The plot is just weak. 30% of the movie was entertaining, most of it was uneventful, ponderous, and phlegmatic. I am sure some neo Nazis and the Iranian leader, Akhmenjenadad would thoroughly enjoy this film.

I think Farmiga is gorgeous though.

I allocate this movie one star.*