The Book Thief

Starring: Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Roger Allam (voice), Heike Makatsch, Kirsten Block, Nico Liersch
Directed by: Brian Percival
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In Germany during World War II, a young girl (Sophie Nelisse) steals books and harbors anti-NAZI sentiment.

Review:

Tim: The Book Thief is a good movie. Now, you can consider that (rightly) as praise. You could also consider that (rightfully) a bit of a complaint. When you put together a cast like this and tackle an important subject matter like this, you expect a bit more out of the final product. I have not read the novel, but I hear it is good. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say there was something lost in translation from the page to the screen. This isn't a failed adaptation by any means, but without even reading the novel, I am willing to bet this is a film about which people will say, "The book was so much better."

One of my minor complaints is the fact that Death is the narrator. I have no issues with this occurring, but I was a bit confused about why this happened. Was it like that in the book? Did it add something to the story? Besides adding a somewhat creepy vibe, it felt like this movie would have been fine without the narrator of Death. I wasn't clear on why it was important to have that. Maybe it was clearer in the book?

The story was good, but it felt like there was a lot missing. I understand that you have to cut out pieces of a book when you transform it into a movie- that is obvious and understandable. However, without reading this book, it just felt like too much was cut. I'm certainly not suggesting the film be any longer (131 minutes is certainly a lot to sit through). Regardless, the story clearly felt like it had certain gaps. That is the nature of the beast, I suppose, although the best writers and directors create films where this feeling isn't so pervasive. I will say that the movie did hold my attention, despite the long run time. With a slow moving drama like this, 131 minutes can feel like 131 hours. That did not happen with The Book Thief and I am grateful for that.

The cast was very good. I know nothing of Sophie Nelisse, but she gave a very impressive performance. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what she does next. She played innocent well, and yet also displayed wisdom beyond her years. She captured that fragile state between childhood and adulthood quite well in this film. She was excellently cast. I also loved seeing Geoffrey Rush here. He can play villains well, but I just enjoy his kinder characters so much better. He really seemed like a good person and the type of individual you would want to know. I love the range Rush has and his talents were on display here. I like Emily Watson, but she had a bit of a thankless role. She had to play the tough, unlikeable, cold mother role (which she does quite well). It's easy to overlook her performance, especially with Rush and Nelisse taking up so much screen time. However, she adds a fairly spectacular role. I loved the scenes where her frozen exterior begins to thaw a little. She made that transition feel organic and natural. The rest of the supporting cast is good, too.

This is certainly a good movie. It held my attention and interest throughout the entire film. One big complaint is that I never developed any real emotional connection to the characters. I was along for the ride, but I was not really invested. This actually isn't a big problem until the end, when some heavy, emotional moments occur. Those felt oddly dull to me. The movie didn't quite do a good enough job of making me care deeply about these characters. Rather than shedding a tear at the end, I just thought, "Ah, so that's how it is going to end." This is a movie that does well in reaching the brain, but fails to touch the heart.

Despite its flaws, this is still a good movie. I loved the portrayal of German life under NAZI rule. Too many films paint the NAZI days with too wide a brush. Many Germans were not fans of Adolf Hitler and they suffered as well (obviously not as much as the victims of the Holocaust, but some). This movie depicts an aspect of WWII Germany that we don't often see. It is an entertaining movie about a serious topic and it's well worth checking out.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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