The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)

Directed by: Mark Herman



Certificate: 12A

Starring: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga, Jack Scanlon, Rupert Friend, Amber Beattie




In a Nutshell
Set in World War II, this gripping film shows a story of life through the eyes of Bruno, the eight year old son of a Nazi commandant at a concentration camp. The film portrays the innocence and naivity of a child’s mind during the Holocaust. Bruno (Asa Butterfield) befriends a young boy behind the electric fence of what he can only assume is a local farm. The film displays a true feeling of how Jews were treated, with devostating consequences. The Boy in the striped pyjamas, who goes by the name of Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), becomes Bruno’s best friend, but their secret friendship soon gets the better of Bruno’s youthful mind.

What’s wrong with it?
Some may find the visits that Bruno makes to see Shmuel quite repetetive, but I found that they all keep you interested in what’s going to happen next. The ending was quite sudden, but equally it was shocking and frighteningly realistic.

Whats right with it?
The childrens’ acting is very believable in this dramatic film, and Butterfield and Scanlon really make you feel sympathy towards their very different characters for different reasons. David Thewlis, who plays Bruno’s father, the Nazi commandent, also plays a very realistic part, and you almost feel frightened of him and on edge whenever he’s in a scene.