The Island on Bird Street (1997)

Too much of everything

Nice effects though.

A Brilliant Conflict

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Left alone to fend for himself in the rubble of the Warsaw ghetto, 11 year old Alex (Jordan Kiziuk) must try to survive and also avoid the ever-present Nazi soldiers in this gripping, intensely moving film. The viewer becomes totally involved with Alex and his plight, as he courageously and inventively continues to avoid detection. The acting, particularly that of young Kiziuk and the late Jack Warden as his kindly uncle Baruch, is superb. The dialog is fairly sparse, letting Alex's expressions and body language show his fears and emotions, which are masterfully rendered. The production design is incredible, and one feels transported to that time and place. The musical score is appropriately somber and haunting, and the cinematography stunning. Some reviewers have commented on the British accents of several characters, but I don't feel that it's a detriment. Overall, an outstanding cinematic achievement, deserving of its many awards. Appropriate for older children (12 and up), though there are several scenes that contain violence. Well worth seeking out, this is a film you won't easily forget. Highest recommendation.

i was a little uncertain when i was first introduced to this film...my friend had bought it and it really didn't seem interesting, i mean come on...another nazi v. jew film but i was surprised...this story is origional following a little boy who is left alone and is being hunted by the nazi's. his courage comes from a book and his best friend is a little mouse named snow...the story follows the boy as he decides to wait in dangerous territory for his father, whom although was taken away, promised to return...this is a touching story and a great chapter for anyone iterested in this tragic time period...

Director Soren Kragh-Jacobsen sure picked his young protagonist well -- Jordan Kiziuk as Alex in the Danish film "The Island on Bird Street" practically carried the film by his undeniably superb performance. The film is about a Jewish young boy, bordering teens, his survival "adventure" in Poland during Nazi occupation.How heartwarming can an uneasy wartime premise be? It actually achieves beyond "Jakob the Liar" -- Alex's courage, his creative ways in taking care of himself when he's all alone, his tenacity and steadfast belief that his Dad would come back for him…hold its own. And there is suspense: we fear for him, we want him to succeed, we pain, and we felt angst and joy with him. The set of his hide-out is somehow graphically appealing: a solitary, broken brick wall arrangement, with atmospheric lighting, and momentary interludes: a solitary dog on a street, paper off the ground dancing in the wind… Music is by Zbigniew Preisner (Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Trois couleurs: Bleu" 1993, "Rouge" 1994, "The Double Life of Veronique" 1991, also "Fairy Tale: A True Story" 1997), hauntingly complements the plot. This may not be of Hollywood stature likened to "The Schindler's List", yet it's a small film with powerful impressions. It's a life-affirming story. Alex hanged on to hope -- we can, too.

A beautiful story of a little boy's love and faith in his father set during a time of great shame for all mankind. A lesson we still revisit now! Good acting etc but the script dragged at times and I would have liked to know more about the other characters that came and went.Who was the character that was shot and then nursed by the boy? A polish freedom fighter or a Jewish man on the run? Why was the Doctor arrested? etc etc. 7/10