The Book Thief (2013)

Brilliant and touching

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I havent read the book, however I was very moved by the movie! Seldom have I been captivated by a story about war before but this is different. Liesle, hans and rudy specifically are unbelievably real. I think its an undertrates movie

Firstly, let me state at the onset that I have read the book and loved it. Movies based on books often start with an inherent handicap with viewers like me and movies which have done a better job than the source material can be counted on a single hand with fingers to spare. So my observations are definitely coloured from that perspective. Well, the movie is overall good and largely stays very close to the source material. It has high production value, the cast look their part and acting is largely good. However, the movie seems to lack a soul, and therein lies my problem.Firstly, I believe the source material is a warm story in a dark setting. With its brightly lit sets, immaculate and dare I say fashionable dresses, and generally well-off surroundings, the characters never come off as indigent or suffering. It was difficult to understand why Leisel's mom was calling her dirty when she first meets her. The coat she was wearing could have easily come from a Ralph Lauren store. Overall, the movie could have done better with a cheaper wardrobe and set design.Next, Rudy and Leisel in the book are extremely energetic and passionate. Rudy, especially, came across as someone destined to conquer the world by his sheer confidence and charm. In the movie, they are both much more reserved and the movie is lesser for it. It is the juxtaposition of the spirit of the kids with their extremely harsh surroundings that lent the book its gravity. And both are toned down to a large extent in the movie. For example, in the book, Rudy is constantly hungry which makes Liesel and Rudy steal food alongwith a bunch of other kids. A single apple makes for a good day! The gravity of their situation is never felt in the movie.Similarly, the character development while decent could have been much better and that is the most apparent in the case of Rosa Hubermann, Liesel's adopted mom. Also, the commentary by death which was brilliant in the book just came across as tacky in the movie without lending any value. Lastly, the editing at a few places was shoddy, especially in the last scene which was devastating in the book but was fairly average in the movie. I would recommend watching the movie and people who have not read the book would definitely enjoy it more.

A friend told me "The Book Thief" was her favorite book. So naturally, respecting her opinion (she is a college English professor, after all) I had to find out what makes this so wonderful.First of all, the film is a beautiful experience. You may find it difficult to imagine that you could relate to, and sympathize with, a group of average patriotic German citizens during the Nazi years. The events in Germany between 1938 and 1945 as seen through the eyes of a young girl (the book thief of the title) remind the reader/viewer, however, that these are just ordinary people going about their ordinary lives with the horror of the Holocaust and the other excesses of Nazi Germany as a background. The people seem to be too busy surviving, for the most part, to object to the political and social evils surrounding them. They were also terrified that drawing attention to themselves - any attention - would result in their "disappearing" as a number of the characters in the story "disappear." A young girl learns to read with the inspiration and help of her adoptive father, her best friend, the Burgomeister's wife, and a Jewish fugitive hiding in the basement.The acting is superb! Sophie Nelisse is breathtaking as the central character, Liesl. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson are wonderful as Liesl's adoptive parents. Also notable are Nico Liersch as Rudy, Ben Schnetzer as Max, and Barbara Auer as Frau Hermann.Read the book, watch the film - or better yet, do both!

"The Book Thief" has good intentions but over-all I found it muddled. There were too many things going on – Liesel's relationship with her surrogate parents and with Rudy. Then there was hiding a Jewish person in the family household – and then Liesel's relationship with him. One could add other themes like the growing Nazism of the towns-folk, the Allied bombings, Liesel stealing books...The film just tries too hard when making any emotional statement. Aside from our central character I never felt any emotional connection to the others. Liesel's surrogate mother was a caricature.Although well-filmed and colourful cinematically it was bothersome to hear German accents and words popping up constantly (Ja, Nien...). The bodies of Liesel's surrogate parents and Rudy after the bombing raid look so pristine beside the ruined homes – giving additional phoniness to this film.Also that over-narration of Dr. Death added to the cloyingness.Overall the story held some interest, but I never felt much of a main focal point.