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Has the use of Nazis in movies reached the point of being pornographic? While some observers might say that line was crossed long ago, others may find that conclusive proof arrives in Brian Percival's "The Book Thief," based on an international bestseller that The New York Times jibed as "Harry Potter and the Holocaust." Here, of course, the kind of pornography that's meant isn't erotic (there are only coy glimmers of that) but sentimental – historic horror enlisted in the cause of facile fantasy.

If you go to a bookstore looking for Markus Zusak's novel, the movie's source, you're likely be directed to the Young Adult or Teen Fiction sections, which explains a lot about the movie's appeal, and lack thereof. Like a kid-friendly mulch of elements cribbed from "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Slaughterhouse-Five," the film conceivably could play well to an audience of 12-year-olds and their grandparents. Other adults, though, are more apt to find the proceedings an occasion for fits of squirming and eye-rolling.

This is the movie, after all, that's narrated by Death, a device that you can imagine possibly working in a Hollywood film of the '30s or '40s, but hardly since. What's the Grim Reaper doing here, besides nudging along the exposition and dropping ironic bon mots? Obviously, he serves a purpose much akin to that of the movie's impeccably costumed but barely differentiated Nazis: to attempt giving some thematic ballast to a tale so wispy and ungrounded that otherwise it might float away.

The center of that fiction is Liesel ( Sophie Nelisse ), one of those spunky young heroines that keep the Young Adult industry afloat. When Death first introduces her, in 1938, she is on the run with a fugitive mother and a little brother who dies in the first scene. Soon after, Mom vanishes over the horizon and Liesel is taken in by a good-hearted provincial couple, kindly Hans ( Geoffrey Rush ) and crusty-but-lovable Rosa ( Emily Watson ). Was the girl's mom, as is hinted, a communist? Why would this couple, who barely have enough to eat, take in an unknown child to care for? Such are the questions the movie ignores as it gallops along to history's accelerating drumbeat.

Here's another: How is it that Liesel, mocked by her new schoolmates for being illiterate, quickly morphs not just into a reader but one so adept and voracious that she's soon swiping books from the local burgermeister's library? (This valorization of reading is a transparent come-on in many books aimed at young readers.) Whatever its source, her newfound passion is one she shares with Max ( Ben Schnetzer ), a young Jewish guy the kindly couple hide in their basement. And of course, the Nazis hate books, as they demonstrate by burning a heap in the town square.

Our heroine's bookishness, meanwhile, is mainly a source of bemusement to Rudy (Nico Liersh), the flaxen-haired neighbor boy who befriends and dotes on her. In a different, more reality-based movie, their relationship would be a coming-of-age romance. But though the characters here age from 13 to 17 during the story, at the end they look exactly like the barely pubescent kids they were when it started, and the troubling excitements of eros never arise.

That ostensibly strange fact is perhaps explained less by the obvious constraints of filming the same actors in a short production schedule than by the have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too logic that guides so many fantasy narratives. In this realm, people supposedly grow up, yet at the same time remain magically innocent and unchanged. Likewise, history: the mean old Nazis hound Max and march sad-looking Jews down the street, but we never see what happens to those Jews—they remain vaguely wistful images divorced from the cruel reality of their corporeal fates.

While director Percival ("Downton Abbey") elicits estimable performances from his cast, especially Nelisse, Rush and Watson, the visible world he embeds them in looks like a set from an old studio movie or a '50s TV sitcom. Heaven Street, the provincial thoroughfare is called, and its airbrushed quaintness is as dreamily reassuring as John Williams' score, despite (or because of?) the heavily fetishized Nazi flags that seem to festoon every available inch of screen space.

In the end, there's a distinct air of solipsism to this tale. To be sure, bombs fall, death ensues, and Heaven Street briefly appears rather hellish. But Liesel undergoes no discernible transformation, and that seems to be the point: History may be awful, but a young heroine's spunkiness can overcome anything. Thus does actual tragedy get reduced to the role of kitschy backdrop, a transposition of true obscenity.

Godfrey Cheshire

Godfrey Cheshire is a film critic, journalist and filmmaker based in New York City. He has written for The New York Times, Variety, Film Comment, The Village Voice, Interview, Cineaste and other publications.

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Film credits.

The Book Thief (2013)

Rated PG-13

Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann

Emily Watson as Rosa Hubermann

Sophie Nélisse as Liesel Meminger

Ben Schnetzer as Max Vandenburg

Nico Liersch as Rudy Steiner

Joachim Paul Assböck as SS Officer

Sandra Nedeleff as Sarah

Kirsten Block as Frau Heinrich

Matthias Matschke as Wolfgang Edel

• Brian Percival

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The book thief, common sense media reviewers.

Emotional WWII drama explores loss, literacy, and love.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie, as with the book, has positive messages

Liesel is curious, kind, and willing to work hard

The violence ranges from the deaths of various cha

Rudy repeatedly asks for a kiss, and by the end of

Insults are used, but sometimes as terms of endear

One shot of an Apple computer and logo in the clos

Some adults smoke cigarettes.

Parents need to know that The Book Thief is a historical drama set in WWII Germany based on the bestselling young-adult novel by Australian author Markus Zusak. There are many scenes of violence, from the way the Nazis treat Jews, to schoolyard fights, to recurring bomb threats. There are many character…

Positive Messages

The movie, as with the book, has positive messages about the power of literacy and books; the importance of unconditional friendship; the relationship between parents and children; and the necessity of standing up for other people in need. The presence of Death also encourages the viewer not to squander their lives, because you never know when the end will arrive.

Positive Role Models

Liesel is curious, kind, and willing to work hard to learn how to read. Liesel's foster father Hans is patient, loving, and kind. He helps out Max when it would be much easier to denounce him, and he resists getting involved with the Nazi Party, even though it's the ruling government. Rosa comes off as harsh, but she does love Hans and Liesel and shows it in her own way. Rudy Steiner defends and protects Liesel.

Violence & Scariness

The violence ranges from the deaths of various characters to scenes of Nazis terrorizing Jews in front of their homes and businesses and other occasions. Every scene with a Nazi officer is fraught with anxiety, and the character deaths (or near deaths) will upset even adult viewers. There are also a couple of scenes of schoolyard bullying and fights. During a couple of bombing raids, the entire town evacuates and is worried, anxious and afraid. A Nazi officer strikes Liesel and then Hans.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Rudy repeatedly asks for a kiss, and by the end of the movie, when Rudy and Liesel are about 14, it's clear they have feelings for each other. One kiss.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Insults are used, but sometimes as terms of endearment and usually in German, like the expletives "Saumensch" and "Saukerl" ("dirty swine"), "Arschloch" ("a--hole"). Rosa often uses insults: "good-for-nothing"; "dreckigs" ("dirty"); "know-nothing," "stupid," and "idiot."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

One shot of an Apple computer and logo in the closing scene.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Book Thief is a historical drama set in WWII Germany based on the bestselling young-adult novel by Australian author Markus Zusak . There are many scenes of violence, from the way the Nazis treat Jews, to schoolyard fights, to recurring bomb threats. There are many character deaths and near-deaths that will affect even the most jaded of viewers, though there's almost no blood and zero gore. Language includes German insults that translate to "a--hole" and "dirty swine" as well as "stupid" and "idiot." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (19)
• Kids say (68)

Based on 19 parent reviews

Beauty and light in the face of darkness

You might have to explain some words to your children, what's the story.

THE BOOK THIEF, like the book on which it's based, is narrated by Death (Roger Allam), who explains that he rarely cares about the stories of the living, with the exception of young Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nelisse). In 1938, Liesel is shown on a train with her frightened mother (rumored to be a Communist) and sick little brother, who dies before they reach their small town destination. At his impromptu funeral, Liesel steals The Gravedigger's Handbook as a memento. She's soon delivered to childless foster parents, gentle painter Hans ( Geoffrey Rush ) and abrasive laundress Rosa ( Emily Watson ). At home, Hans discovers the book and begins to teach Liesel how to read, and at school, Liesel befriends her neighbor, the fast-running Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch). Liesel's life changes even more when Hans and Rosa agree to hide a young Jewish man, Max (Ben Schnetzer), in their basement. Liesel, now a voracious reader, forms a sweet secret friendship with Max -- but as the war progresses, all of them are put in danger again and again.

Is It Any Good?

The film may not steal your heart quite as powerfully as Zusak's novel, but it is faithful enough to show moviegoers why the characters are so beloved. Take Rudy, he's a "boy with hair the color of lemons" who doesn't care that his Olympic idol Jesse Owens is black -- he just wants to run fast and convince Liesel to give him a kiss. Then there's Max, who shows Liesel how to resist hate, and who paints over the pages of Mein Kampf to give Liesel a place for her words. And class actors Rush and Watson are fabulous as the bickering but loving Hubermanns, who really love their new daughter. This is a movie that will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you hold your books close to your heart.

Markus Zusak 's novel is unforgettable: How many books are narrated by Death? The movie doesn't pull off the Death narration quite as seamlessly as the novel (plus, Allam's voice is stereotypically deep and knowing), but the at-times heartbreaking story will still resonate with viewers, who will grow to love young plucky Liesel. Nelisse is lovely as the curious Liesel, who despite losing her entire immediate family, is open to love -- whether it's from her parents, her new friend Max, or her best friend Rudy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the importance of literacy and books. How does learning to read change Liesel's life? Why does she "steal" books? How can books make an impact on even a horrible situation?

What makes a movie or a book "young adult" -- the age of the protagonist, the intended audience, or something else?

How is this movie different from others about WWII? Do you believe there were Germans who weren't fond of the Nazi regime or of Hitler's anti-semitic laws?

In the movie, like the book, Death is the narrator, but he doesn't reveal things the same way. What did you think of the narrator in the movie? For those who've read the book, did you like and understand the changes between the page and screen versions?

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 8, 2013
• On DVD or streaming : March 11, 2014
• Cast : Emily Watson , Geoffrey Rush , Sophie Nelisse
• Director : Brian Percival
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Book Characters , Friendship , History
• Run time : 125 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : some violence and intense depiction of thematic material
• Last updated : March 12, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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The Book Thief Reviews

The film has its respectful essence, but lacks a bit of the spirit and entertainment value.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 16, 2024

For two hours I was a resident on that small town German street. I cared about the characters, laughed with them, and was pierced by the tragedies they endured.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Aug 19, 2022

The Book Thief mixes British actors using German accents, a few German actors, and the occasional German word, creating a playfully successful illusion of German-ness. The story is tragic and captivating at the same time. Nélisse and Rush are outstanding.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 27, 2022

Laudably, The Book Thief 's main theme is the need to defend culture, a subject of the greatest urgency in the present political situation.

Full Review | Feb 27, 2021

Doesn't always trust the story to work on its own, so it wedges in a few too many big moments - and one egregious bit of product placement - but when it relies on the performances, it works.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 1, 2021

The film's real selling point proves to be the presence of Geoffrey Rush.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Sep 4, 2020

Impeccably acted and beautifully scripted, The Book Thief is an absorbing effort that captures everything that was so widely admired about the original novel. Co-stars Nico Liersch.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 4, 2020

The Book Thief has stolen my heart. To describe the film in a word, it's quite simply, magnificent.

Full Review | Jan 7, 2020

As it is, The Book Thief still finds its way into your heart slowly and over time, and it stays there way after leaving the theater.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 31, 2019

It may span the most significant decades of last century, but The Book Thief pretty much boils down to girl-lives-with-family, girl-learns-to-read - for two hours.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 8, 2019

Opening with a sweeping shot of a train racing on snow-covered tracks, a title card reads 'Germany, February 1938'. This kind of vagueness sets up a film that brushes past details in favour of a broad-strokes Nazi movie for the whole family.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 11, 2018

The film has essentially been commissioned on the say-so of pinot-guzzling, chick-lit-licking chocoholics, and it shows. Boy, it's dull and pointless.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Feb 22, 2018

The film is hamstrung by the novel's structure, unsure whether to be a 12A-certificate family outing, or to luxuriate in morbid irony.

Full Review | Jan 2, 2018

While it may not be suitable for young children, The Book Thief may be one of the best films for families that will play through the holiday season.

Full Review | Nov 29, 2017

It's probably a little too modest for its potential Oscar goals, but it's a fine film nonetheless.

Full Review | Oct 20, 2017

The Book Thief manages to capture the horror of war and the tension of life in the Hubermann household, and there are moments that will shock those not familiar with the story.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 8, 2017

Ultimately not much more complex than the moment in which two children yell "I hate Hitler" across a lake, it imparts the message that Nazis are bad, books are good, and Geoffrey Rush would make a great dad even in WWII Germany

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 5, 2014

This extremely moving drama suggests the Holocaust story Ray Bradbury might have written: Events are seen through a child's eyes; books are shown to contain a healing, transformative power; and the supernatural is real, if symbolic.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 24, 2014

Zusak's story is stirring, and it holds the film up during most of its predictable parts, but The Book Thief never rises too far above that. The narration from Death only serves to make it more like some sort of fantastical fairy tale.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 22, 2014

Regrettably this poignant and profound story, does not feel very poignant nor profound at all.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 10, 2014

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The book thief: film review.

Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and newcomer Sophie Nelisse star in director Brian Percival's adaptation of the Markus Zusak novel.

By Stephen Farber

Stephen Farber

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“From the studio that brought you Life of Pi! ” declare the ads for the new 20th Century Fox literary adaptation of  The Book Thief . Both of these movies are indeed rarities in today’s marketplace; they are films for adults, adapted from best-selling novels with philosophical overtones, that are a long way from the comic book franchises more beloved of today’s studio executives. The gamble on Life of Pi paid off in spades for Fox; the film not only won four Oscars but became an enormous worldwide financial success. Neither of those achievements will be duplicated by The Book Thief , but you still have to give the studio credit for going against the grain and gambling on the intelligence of the audience.

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Life of Pi had a master filmmaker, Ang Lee , telling a big-screen adventure story, while The   Book Thief has a journeyman director, Brian Percival (best known for his work on Downton Abbey ) and an even more downbeat story of a group of Germans struggling to survive the horrors of the Second World War. Besides that, the new movie, like Markus Zusak ‘s novel, is narrated by Death (urbanely voiced by British actor Roger Allam ) — not exactly the jolliest guide through a traumatic period of history. The narrator introduces us to our young heroine, Liesel (Canadian actress Sophie Nelisse, who made a strong impression in the Oscar-nominated Monsieur Lazhar ) as she is being uprooted from her family and forced to live with foster parents in a distant part of Germany.

The Bottom Line Fine acting cannot entirely salvage this earnest, sometimes attenuated World War II survival story.

VIDEO: ‘The Book Thief’ Trailer Explores Power of Words and Family in Nazi Germany

Liesel is unhappy at first living with a middle-aged, childless couple. Hans Hubermann ( Geoffrey Rush ) is at least tenderhearted, but Rosa ( Emily Watson ) is bitter and grumpy. Eventually, however, Liesel finds friends in the town, and her existence becomes a lot more interesting when a young Jewish refugee, Max ( Ben Schnetzer ), takes shelter with the Hubermanns. He is the one who encourages her literary aspirations, giving her a diary to record her thoughts and observations. Liesel also begins a puppy-love affair with a neighbor boy, a runner who worships Olympic champion Jesse Owens , to the consternation of his Aryan neighbors.

The backdrop of the film is not the freshest, so it really depends on acting and filmmaking to bring one more Nazi-era story to life. Here the results are mixed. The actors give the film an enormous boost. Rush has played flamboyant and eccentric characters with panache, but here he proves equally adept at bringing an ordinary, decent man to moving life. Watson has the showier role, since crankiness is always more colorful than kindness, but she never allows Rosa to devolve into caricature. And when Rosa begins to thaw a bit and demonstrate the heart beneath her hard exterior, Watson illuminates the transformation without the slightest trace of sentimentality. Schnetzer and all the supporting actors are equally fine, but of course nothing would work without the performance of the actress cast as Liesel. Nelisse convinces us of her inner strength as well as her loneliness. Her face is a wonderfully eloquent instrument.

When it comes to the filmmaking, however, The   Book Thief sometimes falls flat. Scenes dealing with Nazis searching for Jews in hiding should generate more suspense than Percival is able to muster. (Watch the opening scene of Quentin Tarantino ‘s Inglourious Basterds to see what’s missing here.) On the whole, the film unfolds too deliberately, without the needed sense of urgency and tension. Some of this may be attributable to the source material, an episodic tale without tremendous narrative drive. But the screenplay by Michael Petroni is overly expository, and Percival’s pacing is too languid. The look of the film is undeniably impressive, with elegant cinematography by Florian Ballhaus and meticulous production design by Simon Elliott . John Williams ‘ uncharacteristically understated score is one of his more effective in recent years.

You can’t help comparing the film to other Nazi-era stories, such as  The Diary of Anne Frank or the more recent literary adaptation  The Reader . Both of those movies benefited from expert direction, and it may be that their stories were also more inherently dramatic and full of surprise than the tale invented by Zusak. There is much to admire in Percival’s film version, but you may come away more impressed by the intentions than by the achievements.

Opens: Friday, Nov. 8 (20th Century Fox)

Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Sophie Nelisse, Ben Schnetzer, Nico Liersch, Barbara Auer, Rainer Bock, Oliver Stokowski

Director: Brian Percival

Screenwriter: Michael Petroni

Based on the novel by: Markus Zusak

Producers: Karen Rosenfelt, Ken Blancato

Executive producer: Redmond Morris

Director of photography: Florian Ballhaus

Production designer: Simon Elliott

Music: John Williams

Costume designer: Anna B. Sheppard

Editor: John Wilson

PG-13, 130 minutes

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The Book Thief

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

If there can be such a thing as a sweet, reflective fable about death and the Holocaust, The Book Thief is it. Based on the bestseller by Markus Zusak, the film tells the story of Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse), a young girl left in the care of foster parents Hans Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush) and his strict laundress wife, Rosa (Emily Watson). It’s gentle Hans who teaches the illiterate Liesel how to read. Since the story is set in Nazi Germany, you can see what’s coming when good Christian Hans takes in Max Vandenburg (Ben Schnetzer), a Jewish boy whose father saved Hans during World War I. Hidden in the basement (a distinct allusion to Anne Frank’s attic), Max is read to by Liesel, who steals books from the library of a local bürgermeister. A bond grows, and some valuable and scary life lessons are learned.

The simplicity of Michael Petroni’s script seems a drawback at first. But skilled director Brian Percival ( Downton Abbey ) slowly, effectively tightens the vise as evil intrudes into the life of this child. Rush, an actor of unerring grace and grit, gives a touching, vital performance. He doesn’t shout. Neither does the film. Its grieving heart is never in question.

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Film Review: ‘The Book Thief’

Brian Percival delivers a quietly effective and engaging adaptation of Markus Zusak's WWII-set novel.

By Dennis Harvey

Dennis Harvey

Film Critic

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Markus Zusak’s international bestseller “ The Book Thief ” has been brought to the screen with quiet effectiveness and scrupulous taste by director Brian Percival and writer Michael Petroni. This tale of Nazi Germany seen from a child’s perspective translates into solidly engaging drama, albeit one that may not be starry, flashy or epic enough to muscle its way into the front ranks of awards-season contenders. Bolstered by the novel’s fans, the Fox release (which opens limited Nov. 8) should ride solid reviews and word of mouth to midlevel prestige returns in line with such comparable medium-scaled WWII dramas as “The Reader” and “The Pianist.”

Petroni streamlines or eliminates some peripheral characters and subplots without compromising the book’s essence. Like its source, the film is narrated by Death (voiced by Roger Allam), who says at the start that he seldom bothers with the living, but took a particular interest in young Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nelisse). Liesel is first seen on a train in 1938 with her mother and brother, en route to a destination that her sickly sibling never makes it to. Neither does her mother, who may be headed to prison due to her communist leanings, it’s later rumored. So Liesel arrives alone at the doorstep of her new foster parents, housepainter Hans Hubermann ( Geoffrey Rush ) and his endlessly henpecking wife, Rosa (Emily Watson).

When it emerges that Liesel is illiterate — inviting immediate ridicule from  school bully Franz (Levin Liam) — kindly Hans makes a game of teaching her to read. The first tome they conquer is one she’d grabbed when it fell from a laborer’s coat at her brother’s funeral: “The Gravedigger’s Handbook.” Later she dares rescue a burning book from a bonfire of “decadent” works at a Nazi rally. This act attracts the lone notice of the local Buergermeister’s wife, Frau Hermann (Barbara Auer), who later clandestinely lets Liesel use her late son’s personal library during her weekly laundry deliveries to that imposing mansion.

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In contrast, the Hubermanns barely scrape along on Rosa’s laundering and little else; we eventually deduce that Hans’ perpetual underemployment is due to his refusal to join “the Party.” As time passes and wartime privations grow worse, their domestic situation turns downright dangerous with the arrival of Max Vandenburg (Ben Schnetzer), the fugitive son of a Jewish comrade who saved Hans’ life during WWI. Honor-bound to hide the young man from the authorities, they nurse him back to health, and he bonds with the fascinated Liesel. She’s sworn to tell no one of his presence, not even best-friend neighbor Rudy (Nico Liersch), though several times the secret comes fearfully close to exposure.

There are modest setpieces: an air-raid, a worrying house-by-house search by Nazi officials, Max’s second serious illness, and Liesel’s hysterical response when Jewish prisoners are marched through town. But “The Book Thief” spans these wartime years from a microcosmic vantage point, seldom straying far beyond the main characters’ ironically named “Heaven Street.” It’s to the credit of Percival (best known for helming several “Downton Abbey” episodes) and Petroni (“The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” “Possession”) that they refuse to artificially inflate the story’s key points for melodramatic or tear-jerking purposes. By the same token, such intelligent restraint may strike some as too even-tempered and slow-paced, touching our emotions without heightening them in the way that often gets more attention come Oscar time.

Rush generously provides the movie’s primary warmth and humor; Watson is pitch-perfect as a seemingly humorless scold with a well-buried soft side. Hitherto little-noticed New Yorker Schnetzer is a real find, making Max a thoroughly ingratiating figure. French-Canadian Nelisse (“Monsieur Lazhar”) doesn’t come across as the most expressive of junior thesps here, but she looks right and does a competent job.

Impeccable design contributions are highlighted by Florian Ballhaus’ somber but handsome widescreen lensing, and an excellent score by John Williams that reps his first feature work for a director other than Steven Spielberg in years. One slightly distracting element is the use of “Ja” and “Da” in otherwise English (but German-accented) dialogue, apart from a few public speeches that deploy subtitled German. The print screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival lacked complete final credits (the ultimate running time will be longer than listed here), and was also short a few (unnoticeable) final-mix tweaks.

Reviewed at Mill Valley Film Festival (U.S. Cinema), Oct. 3, 2013.  Running time: 127 MIN.

• Production: A 20th Century Fox release of a Fox 2000 Pictures presentation of a Sunswept Entertainment production in association with TSG Entertainment, the Blair Partnership and Studio Babelsberg. Produced by Karen Rosenfelt, Ken Blancato. Executive producer, Redmond Morris. Co-producers, Charlie Woebcken, Christoph Fisser, Henning Molfenter.
• Crew: Directed by Brian Percival. Screenplay, Michael Petroni, based on the novel by Markus Zusak. Camera (color, HD, widescreen), Florian Ballhaus; editor, John Wilson; music, John Williams; production designer, Simon Elliott; supervising art director, Bill Crutcher; art directors, Anja Muller, Jens Lockmann; set decorator, Mark Rosinski; costume designer, Anna B. Sheppard; sound (Dolby/SDDS), Manfred Banach; sound designer/supervising sound editor, Glenn Freemantle; assistant director, Phil Booth; casting, Kate Dowd.
• With: Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Sophie Nelisse, Ben Schnetzer, Nico Liersch, Barbara Auer, Levin Liam, Rainer Bock, Carina N. Wiese, Roger Allam. (English, German dialogue)

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Screen Rant

'the book thief' review, moviegoers who appreciate films for quality acting, immersive period settings, as well as a healthy dose of humor within a heartbreaking drama, will likely find the book thief delivers..

The Book  Thief , based on the novel by Markus Zusak, follows the story of adolescent "Book Thief" Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse) during the time of Nazi Germany. After tragedy strikes her family, Liesel is adopted by kind-hearted working-class painter Hans Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush) and his strict but loving wife Rose (Emily Watson). Despite forging a fast friendship with neighbor boy Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch), Liesel is teased by her classmates on the first day of school for being illiterate. As a result, Hans commits to teaching his adopted daughter to read and write - at a time when the Nazis have begun outlawing most literary works.

Liesel settles into her life with the Hubermanns, attending school and relishing whatever books she can get her hands on, until a mysterious Jewish man, Max Vandenburg (Ben Schnetzer), with ties to Hans' past, appears at the house one night. On the verge of death and hunted by the Nazis, the Hubbermans offer Max refuge. Over the coming months Liesel and the young man bond over the power of words; however, as World War II begins and Adolf Hitler's forces stoke anti-Axis allies, life for the Hubbermans, their guest, and the titular Book Thief, becomes increasingly perilous.

The second feature film (not counting several TV movies) from director Brian Percival, The Book Thief is an impactful historical drama with captivating performances from its main cast - especially adolescent leading lady Sophie Nélisse. Still, while Percival captures intriguing juxtapositions from Nazi Germany (ex. a children's choir singing about the inferiority of non-Germans), the feature film glosses over many of the book's intricacies as well as the horror of the larger Nazi-led genocide. At times, The Book Thief  adaptation is a mixed bag, successfully capturing the complexities of the time with personal stories of Germans who were not complicit in Hitler's agenda, whereas other scenes are painted in extremely broad strokes that reduce multi-faceted social issues into one-note caricature.

Given the best selling novel source material, moviegoers shouldn't be surprised that the core Book Thief story is riveting - full of interesting characters and encounters that provide plenty of room for high caliber actors to shine. Unfortunately, the 131 minute runtime causes a bizarre jumble of content - including some of the book's richest ideas but failing to explore many beyond surface level plot points. Given the reach (and depth) of the source material, Percival was clearly pressed to include as much as he could - but the film falls short in several of its most important efforts.

Plot beats are rushed through the pipeline so quickly that there's barely time to miss, or feel the absence of, characters that are stolen off to war - or the relief that comes with finding out a periled character is actually safe. The relationship between Liesel and Max, especially, is reduced down to a few sweet moments, but in spite of the pair's chemistry onscreen, the friendship is extremely rushed and unearned - making it hard to understand the bond that the movie tells (but does not show) the audience exists between the two.

Nevertheless, The Book Thief cast is not to blame for any shortages in the onscreen drama. Nélisse is impeccable as Liesel - presenting subtle nuance and exemplifying the mix of fear and uncertainty that haunted even German citizens during Hitler's reign. Despite a somewhat thin look at the greater implications of WWII, Percival excels at offering a diverse range of human moments that attempt to show a more intimate side of everyday people living under the ever-suspicious eye of the Nazi-regime. Many of these dramatic scenes excel because of Nélisse's talent - as she consistently bumps into abrasive Nazi ideologies but is not in a position to publicly showcase her discontent. Instead, Nélisse presents Liesel's beliefs through delicate scenes of honor and courage - which, regardless of the subdued approach, make for impressive and emotional drama.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Nélisse is surrounded by an accomplished stable of actors - especially Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson as Liesel's foster parents. Rush brings his usual command of humor and dramatic authority, making Hans one of the most likable and sympathetic characters in the film, even though he isn't altered much by his various experiences. Conversely, Watson's Rose steals several key encounters - as viewers will be endeared to the buttoned-up mother figure as unfolding events chip away at her no-nonsense demeanor. In fact, the scenes where Rose manages to forget the troubles of the neighborhood, her family, and the ever-persistent state of danger, to let go and join with Hans and Liesel in a fleeting moment of levity are some of the film's most enchanting (and cathartic) sequences.

Supporting players, especially Nico Liersch, as Liesel's best friend Rudy, are also solid in their roles - with Liersch owning several of The Book Thief 's most insightful and comedic exchanges. Ben Schnetzer, portraying Jewish refugee Max, is also a strong, albeit underutilized, addition - who enjoys a much more prominent role in the book - and is mostly relegated to near-death duty (as well as a few witty exchanges with Liesel) in the movie adaptation.

While the restricted scope of the film helps to tell the main Book Thief storyline, the movie falls short of developing many of the presented events beyond interconnected, but mostly surface-level, displays of exposition and tension. Moviegoers who appreciate films for quality acting, immersive period settings, as well as a healthy dose of humor within a heartbreaking drama, will likely find The Book Thief delivers on all the necessary technical notes - exhibiting a rich series of historical fiction events. Yet, fans of the book itself (or those looking for a deeper exploration of WWII Germany) may find that outside the scene-to-scene drama very few relationships or thematic ideas are fully realized, since Percival relies on simply showing Nazi Germany and its citizens - instead of intimately exploring the setting and people through unique or particularly memorable insight.

If you’re still on the fence about  The Book Thief , check out the trailer below:

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The Book Thief  runs 131 minutes and is Rated PG-13 for some violence and intense depiction of thematic material. Now playing in theaters.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comment section below.

Follow me on Twitter @ benkendrick  for future reviews, as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

clock This article was published more than  10 years ago

‘Book Thief’ movie review

" The Book Thief " has its moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to an adept cast. But the movie about a girl adopted by a German couple during World War II also crystallizes the perils of book adaptations. Based on a bestselling novel , the movie tries heartily to contain writer Markus Zusak's myriad plot points, but the result is a rushed conclusion, which tempers the intended tear-jerking climax.

The sticky-fingered title character is Liesel. With bouncy blond hair and big, sad eyes, actress Sophie Nélisse utterly embodies the character of a girl given up for adoption shortly after her brother dies. When Liesel’s on-the-run Communist mother can no longer care for her, she’s taken in by Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa (Emily Watson). The child immediately bonds with her new father, a smiling accordion player who calls Liesel “your majesty.” Rosa is more standoffish and looks constantly for excuses to yell. (She finds many.)

Despite her tendency to pick up lost books, Liesel can’t read or write, and that momentarily makes her a punch line at school. One bully learns quickly, though, that although Liesel can’t spell, she can fight, and that’s just the first hint of her tenacious personality. After Hans teaches her to read, Liesel’s world begins to expand, both through stories from books she sneakily “borrows” and in a reality that’s informed by an oppressive regime. In this small German village, she finds reasons to be optimistic thanks to a friendship with another youngster, Rudy (Nico Liersch), but she also comes to understand the saddest repercussion of Third Reich rule after a man named Max comes to the family’s door one night. The son of Hans’s old friend, Max is Jewish and on the run, and he ends up hiding in the family’s basement.

There is plenty here to create both an emotional payoff and a healthy dose of suspense. But director Brian Percival's film squanders the opportunities by squeezing a number of other subplots into the two-hour run time. These threads have the space to breathe and evolve in a novel , but when it comes to the film, less would have been more.

That being said, “The Book Thief” has its pleasures. Along with a memorable performance from Nélisse, Rush and Watson prove their impressive range. Despite the film’s dark themes, there are a number of scenes of gentle comedy, and those come mostly thanks to Rush’s and Watson’s facial expressions and delivery. Ben Schnetzer, who plays Max, hasn’t acted in many films, but his performance is indelible as an older brother figure trying to protect his young friend from the sad realities of the day.

From the pristinely shot scenes of a train chugging through a snowy landscape that open the film, “The Book Thief” has a sleekness to it. That feeling is mirrored in a plot that feels whitewashed in some ways. For example, Rosa discusses cutting back on meals now that the family has to provide for its refu­gee, but there aren’t depictions of hunger or suffering.

Just as Max tempers the reality for Liesel, the movie does the same for its viewers. That ensures a PG-13 rating and a broader audience, of course. But when the delivery is blunted, the audience’s emotions will tend to follow suit.

PG-13. At area theaters. Contains violence and depictions of death. In English and some German with subtitles. 131 minutes.

The Book Thief (2013)

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• DVD & Streaming

The Book Thief

• Drama , War

Content Caution

In Theaters

• November 8, 2013
• Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann; Emily Watson as Rosa Hubermann; Sophie Nélisse as Liesel Meminger; Nico Liersch as Rudy Steiner; Ben Schnetzer as Max Vandenburg; Roger Allam as Narrator/Death

Home Release Date

• March 11, 2014
• Brian Percival

Distributor

• 20th Century Fox

Movie Review

“Words are life.”

That’s what Max, the young Jewish man the Hubermanns keep hidden in the basement, tells Liesel one day. And she believes him with all her heart. There’s something about books, with all their stories and lessons, that maintain and buoy Liesel’s spirit. They keep her going.

They kept Max going too. She would read to him every day as he struggled to stay alive and make it through his sickness in that damp basement.

When Liesel stops to think about it, it’s amazing how far she’s come with life and books in just the last few years. When she first showed up at Hans and Rosa Hubermann’s front doorstep, she was but an illiterate 11-year-old with little hope. Her younger brother had just died and her Communist mother was rumored to be running for her life.

The Nazis are in power in Germany. And little girls who like to read books aren’t faring very well.

The kind Hans did help Liesel feel welcome. He even struck a bargain with her: They would help each other learn to read. (Even though Liesel was pretty sure he knew more than he was saying.)

Since then she has learned so much. She made a good friend in Rudy, the boy next door. And she even gained access to a small library, a rather rare thing since book burnings are the order of the day. But the local bürgermeister’s wife, Frau Hermann, let Liesel secretly read the books in her late son’s personal library during weekly laundry deliveries.

Papa Hans then created a homemade dictionary―painted right on the walls of the basement―where Liesel could write down all the new words she encountered.

Of course, soon enough, the dank basement was needed for another purpose. Max’s father had once saved Hans’ life, and so Papa was honor-bound to help the young, sickly refugee when he showed up in the dead of night, never mind the danger. And as Liesel gets to know the Jewish man, she realizes that protecting him is really the only choice.

For there are some things you protect at any cost―life, friendship, love, honor and, yes, words.

Positive Elements

This story of average German citizens suffering under the heel of a vicious Nazi boot produces many positives messages. And centrally, the film portends that even in the worst of times, there are good people who will give of themselves to help others. It maintains that such simple actions change everything.

Hans is such a man. Even though he and his wife initially take in Liesel for a government allowance, he quickly sees that she is heartbroken (over the loss of her family) and does everything he can to make her feel loved and welcome. Hans becomes a fond, caring father to the girl―helping her to read and teaching her of honor and love―and she easily takes to calling him Papa. Even his storm cloud of a thundering wife, Rosa, eventually shows that there’s a hidden tenderness beneath her gruff exterior.

Later, when Max stumbles to the door, Hans readily takes in the persecuted Jew, protecting and hiding him in spite of the Nazi threats. Hans impresses upon his “daughter,” “a person is only as good as their word.”

Liesel attaches herself to Max, reading him book after book to try to keep him alive. In return, Max encourages Liesel’s love of words―creating a book in which she can use her wealth of new words to express her feelings and perceptions.

Hans and Liesel also use their gifts―he with an accordion, she with stories―to comfort frightened townsfolk in an air raid shelter.

[ Spoiler Warning ] When Max chooses to leave his hiding place in order to spare Liesel and her new family from harm, Hans wonders aloud how much their months of struggle actually meant. Liesel replies. “Maybe we were just being people. That’s what people do.” Later we find out that he needn’t have worried; that their efforts on Max’s behalf were the very thing that saved his life.

Spiritual Elements

The narrator is Death. He never makes reference to his spiritual nature except to say that he stands apart from flesh and blood humans and fulfills his job of collecting their souls when their time comes. He sometimes marvels over the goodness or the character of the people he collects, and he reports a few of their final thoughts. In one instance, he talks of a man looking up into the night sky and “thanking God for the stars that blessed his eyes.”

In times of great stress, Hans cries out, “God in heaven!” and, “Christ on a cross, what have I done?”

Sexual Content

Violent content.

We see several wartime bombings and their aftermath. A truck full of soldiers is hit and flipped onto its roof. Bodies are strewn in the rubble of a demolished village street. (They all look as if they fell asleep after getting very dirty.) The Nazis smash shop windows and drag people into the streets where they kick and punch them. When the Nazis drag one man away, Hans openly challenges them, asking for a reason—and an officer pushes him to the ground, slamming his head against the paving stones.

When Liesel’s young brother dies, she spots a small trickle of blood coming from his nose. Schoolmate Franz bullies Rudy and Liesel on several occasions, usually through pushing and shoving meanness. Liesel gets into a full-fledged fight with him, driving him to the ground and pummeling him repeatedly. She also falls and rips the skin from her shin. An angry neighbor drags Liesel’s friend Rudy to his front door by the ear.

Crude or Profane Language

One “h‑‑‑” and three or four careless interjections of “oh my god.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

Rosa initially appears to be a rather foul individual, calling Liesel “stupid and dirty.” Many of the local kids support that idea, calling the young girl names such as “dummkopf” when they learn she can’t read or spell. Not that the Nazi leadership would care. They’d rather destroy books than read them, and they hold regular book-burning ceremonies they say will free the populace from “intellectual dirt.” (Liesel snatches The Invisible Man back from the flames.)

Liesel sneaks into a house to steal/borrow several books.

“I make it a policy to avoid the living,” Death tells us as he makes his way through the movie’s opening narration. “I don’t know what it was about Liesel, but she caught me … and I cared.” And with that, Death points us to a young, emotionally wounded girl we can’t help but also care for.

Based on a best-selling novel penned by Australian author Markus Zusak and now translated into 30 different languages, The Book Thief isn’t a bombastic slaughter-of-war pic as much as it’s a movie about the intimate agonies of life on the outside edges of war―the pains, hungers and worries of children and families and loved ones. Director Brian Percival (best known for his work on the  Downton Abbey television series) gives the film a steady, deliberately slow pace, which makes the generally quiet, dramatic scenes of loss or small victory take on an even stronger sense of force and importance.

This isn’t an easy film to live with. Death tells us that he was very productive at his job during the story’s years of 1938 to 1945. And even though we don’t witness the true gruesomeness of it all, the weight and misery of war and Jewish persecution is a heavy cinematic burden to bear.

But what this film and its young protagonist do best in the midst of that wretchedness is to help us see just how logical and possible it would have been for mostly good people to be horribly changed, in small incremental ways, by the Nazi agenda that surrounded them. A book-burning rally could seem normal and cheer-worthy with the right speech or setting. And it’s only certain individuals―such as our young Liesel who surreptitiously grabs a smoldering book from the pile, or a father wondering aloud why a “good neighbor” is being taken away―who give us an anchor. They remind us of how misguided and malevolent State group-think can corrupt and steal away what’s most precious to us. Our freedom. Our morality. Our compassion.

And they remind us that we don’t have to succumb. That we mustn’t.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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Review: ‘The Book Thief’ robs the truth from an evil time

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“The Book Thief,” the handsome, inevitable adaptation of Markus Zusak’s internationally bestselling novel, unfolds as a curiosity on the big screen.

Centered on a war-afflicted girl who develops a passion for books, it features little discussion of the emotional pull of reading, storytelling or writing. It’s set in Hitler-run, World War II-era Germany with an odd emphasis on uplift over unease. And, most peculiarly, it’s a tale narrated by Death (a slithery-sounding Roger Allam) that wants tears shed for tragedies that befall its big-hearted non-Jewish German characters, but skirts explicitly addressing the fate of that generation’s Jews.

Perhaps this is all in the name of family-friendly, child’s-perspective entertainment. But what director Brian Percival and screenwriter Michael Petroni serve up is just another tasteful, staid Hollywoodization of terribleness, in which a catastrophic time acts as a convenient backdrop for a wishful narrative rather than the springboard for an honest one.

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That our protagonist Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) is a product of hardship isn’t in question: The movie opens with her younger brother dying just before the illiterate, curly-haired 11-year-old is dropped off with her new foster parents — avuncular accordion-player Hans Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush, all winks and paternal smiles) and his stern-faced wife, Rosa (Emily Watson, severe until sweet). But over a series of vignettes in the fictional town of Molching that span from 1938 to the war’s end, Liesel remains a carefully manufactured, doe-eyed innocent for whom being good is obvious, even when she has to wear a Hitler Youth uniform.

The movie’s emotional thread is that acts of kindness can happen anywhere. (Especially if you don’t show or explain those other acts.) Hans teaches Liesel to read, and turns their basement walls into a dictionary canvas for learned words. At a nighttime book-burning led by the hate-spouting Burgomeister, Liesel snatches a charred tome from the fire after everyone has left.

The Burgomeister’s wife, her psyche softened by witnessing this, invites Liesel to peruse her enormous library. Later, Liesel pilfers books from them to read to an ailing young Jewish fugitive named Max (Ben Schnetzer), whom the Hubermanns begin hiding in their basement as repayment for Max’s father saving Hans’ life during the Great War. The chain of goodness continues when the blond neighbor boy Rudy (Nico Liersch) finds out about Max but doesn’t blab. In fact, he dives into a freezing river to retrieve one of Liesel’s prized possessions, a book that Max has given her.

On the set: movies and TV

The book is “Mein Kampf,” its text cheekily obliterated by Max with white paint. He’s implored Liesel to write her (presumably nicer) story over it. It’s the movie’s big metaphor — overpower bad words with good words — but a squishy one considering the book burning scene earlier. Isn’t there benefit to being educated about ugliness too?

Why is “The Book Thief” set in Nazi-occupied Germany, then, if it won’t engage with the era’s shattering momentousness?

As a showcase for accomplished performers tugging heart strings in a holiday awards season, it’s perfectly serviceable, like an episode of the crowd-pleasing “Downton Abbey,” which Percival also directs. But when Death claims in the epilogue to be “haunted by humans,” he’s clearly been watching something other than “The Book Thief.”

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----------------------

‘The Book Thief’

MPAA rating: PG-13 for some violence and intense depiction of thematic material

Running time: 2 hours, 11 minutes

Playing: At the Landmark Theatre, West Los Angeles, and the ArcLight Hollywood

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Movie Review: The Book Thief (2013)

• Howard Schumann
• Movie Reviews
• 4 responses
• --> December 21, 2013

An unbreakable bond.

Like René Clément’s “ Forbidden Games ,” British director Brian Percival’s The Book Thief focuses on the effect of war on children who are forced by circumstances into coping with events beyond their capacity to understand. Written by Michael Petroni and based on the novel by Australian author Markus Zusak, it is a story told with power and conviction about the Nazi’s systematic attempts to destroy learning and culture in Germany during World War II. It is not a film about the Holocaust per se but about how the war impacted ordinary citizens in a small working class German town where people were compelled to support the Nazi cause most likely without knowing about the concentration camps and the Nazi genocide.

Like the book, the film is narrated by “Death” (voice of Roger Allam), though he is never identified as such. It is a risky device that could have been mawkish but, in the context of the film which is mainly geared to young adults, provides some humor and softens the disturbing events seen on the screen. Liesel Meminger, in a superb performance by French-Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse (“ Monsieur Lazhar “), is a young girl of eleven who is adopted by surrogate parents after her mother, ostensibly a Communist, abandons her for unstated reasons, though they can be easily guessed. The family was also expecting Liesel’s younger brother but, sadly, he died of an unexplained cause during their long train ride.

Liesel’s new foster parents, the Hubermanns, are very different from each other. Hans (Geoffrey Rush), a housepainter who has refused to join the Nazi Party and has suffered economically for it, is warmer and more immediately accepting than his wife Rosa (Emily Watson), who appears cold and brusque. As the political climate worsens, the family observes the Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), a state-approved violent outburst in November, 1938 against Jewish businesses and synagogues in both Germany and Austria, an event that resulted in the murder of hundreds and the forced deportation of 300,000 German Jews to concentration camps.

Upset at the taunting she has to endure at school because of her illiteracy, Hans, who plays the accordion to stay calm, begins to teach Liesel to read, using the basement walls as a blackboard. Studying the only book she has, The Grave Digger’s Handbook which she stole at her brother’s funeral, stimulates in her a passion for reading. After seeing Liesel save a book from the fire after a Nazi book-burning ceremony, the burgomaster’s wife, Ilsa Hermann (Barbara Auer) who Liesel works for as a laundress, invites her into her home to see the vast library put together by her now deceased son. Her visits become an important part of her life until she is thrown out by Ilsa’s fanatical husband, losing an important source of income in the process.

A new avenue is opened for learning, however, when Hans allows Max (Ben Schnetzer) to hide out in their basement, repaying a debt owed to the boy’s father for saving his life during World War I. As Max lies ill, recuperating from his injuries, Liesel reads to him from books that she takes from Ilsa’s library. In reciprocation, Max shows Liesel the path to becoming a writer by stimulating the use of her imagination. In addition to her relationship with Max, Liesel has also become friends with Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch) a fair haired German classmate who is ridiculed at school because of his admiration for the black track star, Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics.

Though they both have to wear hated Nazi youth uniforms, they are aligned on their hatred of the Führer. Though John Williams score adds to the appeal of The Book Thief , Percival avoids the temptation of heart-tugging sentimentality, allowing whatever tears are evoked by the film’s emotional climax to be fully earned. Contrary to the specious arguments of some critics that The Book Thief is “Disneyfied” and makes light of the Nazi crimes, it is a perfect film for young people to learn about the dangers of an authoritarian government and to appreciate the value of the written word and the importance of culture and knowledge in a civilized society.

Tagged: daughter , Nazi , novel adaptation , WWII

I am a retired father of two living with my wife in Vancouver, B.C. who has had a lifelong interest in the arts.

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'Movie Review: The Book Thief (2013)' have 4 comments

December 22, 2013 @ 12:18 am Jack Hogle

Read the book.

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December 22, 2013 @ 11:53 am Eat the Lamb

I hated “The Reader” for its tackiness with the subject matter and I get the same hollow feeling in my stomach when I look at this. The Academy should eat it up though.

December 29, 2013 @ 8:33 pm Howard Schumann

So I take it you haven’t seen it? Nothing tacky about it.

January 2, 2014 @ 2:16 pm Eat the Lamb

I haven’t. My comment was based off of first impressions.

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The Book Thief Review

26 Feb 2014

131 minutes

Book Thief, The

What happens to movies primarily positioned and designed to find favour in awards season that don’t quite make the grade? The Book Thief must have looked good for gongs on paper: based on an acclaimed populist novel (by Markus Zusak), historically significant subject matter (World War II) and strong acting credentials (Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson) all pointed to a night of glory on March 2. But Brian Percival’s film, while engaging and handsome, doesn’t quite have the depth or fizz to take its place among the Gravitys and 12 Years A Slaves.

The USP of Zusak’s novel is that the story of young Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse), and the residents of the ironically named Heaven Street in war-torn Germany, is narrated by Death. Here represented by a Roger Allam voiceover and some rolling clouds, an approach that doesn’t quite fly. Instead, the film’s episodic storytelling introduces us in slow-ish, deliberate strokes, and is better at the illiterate Liesel’s growing passion for words and evincing her attempts to comprehend the incomprehensible, from book burnings to the way neighbourhoods get divided through blind obedience and fear.

Percival, best known for marshalling the upstairs/downstairs of Downton Abbey, invests the events with a similar elegance and élan, but its tasteful restraint is part of the problem. It lacks the grit and the grime of truth, the nicely mounted set-pieces — a decidedly un-suspenseful Nazi house-to-house search, a child in an icy river — never getting the heart pumping, the dynamics and relationships failing to engage the emotions.

Still, Percival gets good value from his cast. If not one of those child actors who blows you away, Nélisse captures both a sense of loneliness and resilience. She has strong scenes with Rush, who gets a rare chance to embody an ordinary, decent man — he is the heart and humour of the picture.

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Reel Life With Jane

Movie Review: The Book Thief

REVIEW: I haven’t read Markus Zusak’s book upon which this movie is based, but now I want to. I love this movie. It’s one of those rare films you can call a “quality film” and actually mean it. And not only is the PG-13 rating on target, but it’s a good film for teens to see — to learn more about World War II from the perspective of a German kid, and also learn about a time when books were burned in big heaps in the village square. It’s the sort of thing that seems almost unthinkable to American kids, but there it was.

Like the book, the film is narrated by Death (Roger Allam), who explains that he rarely cares about the stories of the living, with the exception of young Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nelisse). In 1938, Liesel is riding on a train with her frightened mother (Heike Makatsch), who’s rumored to be a Communist, and her sick little brother (Julian Lehmann), who dies before they reach their destination.

PHOTO GALLERY: “The Book Thief”

During an impromptu funeral in a desolate graveyard along the way, Liesel steals The Gravedigger’s Handbook as a memento. And thus begins her noble life of crime. She’s soon delivered to her childless foster parents, a gentle painter named Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and his curmudgeonly wife Rosa (Emily Watson).

Hans discovers Liesel’s book and teaches her how to read, using not only the book, but the walls of the basement, where she writes word after word. Liesel befriends her neighbor, a tow-headed boy named Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch) who runs fast, idolizes Olympic idol Jesse Owens, and fends off schoolyard bullies.

When Hans and Rosa agree to hide a young Jewish man, Max (Ben Schnetzer), in their basement, Liesel forms a friendship with him, reads to him when he’s sick, and helps her adoptive parents hide him when the Nazis come around. As the war progresses, Max — who teaches Liesel to resist hate, even as the regimen closes in — realizes that he’s putting all of them in danger.

“The Book Thief” is at turns heartbreaking and joyful, and acting vets Rush and Watson are wonderful as a bickering married couple who clearly love each other. Nelisse is spot-on as the feisty, optimistic Liesel, who manages to overcome the worst circumstances a young child could endure. Her heart remains open, even as the people she loves disappear from her life.

“The Book Thief” is a story of hope, perseverance and love, both for the people in our lives and the books on our shelves.

PARENT DETAILS:

Sex/Nudity: Young Rudy keeps asking Liesel for a kiss, and as they get older, it’s clear they have feelings for each other. One kiss.

Violence/Gore: Nazis terrorize Jews in their homes, businesses and neighborhoods. A Nazi officer strikes Liesel and then Hans. During bombing raids, the entire town seeks refuge in a bunker, where they’re anxious and afraid. Major characters die throughout the film. One sad scene in a graveyard, and another on the street after the town is bombed. A few scenes of schoolyard bullying and fights.

Profanity: Insults like “good for nothing,” “stupid” and “idiot” throughout the film, sometimes as terms of endearment from a wife to her husband. Insults are often in German, like “Saumensch,” “Saukerl” (“dirty swine”) and “Arschloch” (“a**hole”).

Drugs/Alcohol: Adults smoke cigarettes (appropriate for the era).  

Which Kids Will Like It? Kids 13 and older who’ve read the book or like movies about World War II.

Will Parents Like It? “The Book Thief” is an excellent film with a thoughtful storyline, great performances, and vintage locations. Despite sad scenes and deaths throughout, the PG-13 rating is on target.

JANE’S REEL RATING SYSTEM: One Reel – Even the Force can’t save it. Two Reels – Coulda been a contender Three Reels – Something to talk about. Four Reels – You want the truth? Great flick! Five Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

Jane Boursaw

4 responses to “Movie Review: The Book Thief”

Movie Review: The Book Thief http://t.co/33n2IOTz9E

I have been hesitant to see this movie because I loved the book so much. It was so original and beautiful. Now I’m reconsidering…maybe I will see it.

[…] “The Book Thief” is a wonderful, understated film with a thoughtful story and great locations. Read our review here. […]

it may be over said by again film can never capture the book

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In Theaters and Digital

The book thief - movie review.

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There’s a bothersome disconnect between the story being told in The Book Thief and what we see on the screen.

Set in a small German town during the years surrounding the beginning of World War II, as Hitler’s villainous reign of control for hearts and minds is ramping up, the film’s look is oddly stark, colorful, and impeccably manicured. Beautifully assembled set pieces and characters donning perfectly tailored period costumes lend the set designs a schmaltzy, theme park presence – as if plopped smack-dab between Disney World’s Adventureland and Main Street, USA.

Counter that to The Book Thief ’s story, adapted by Brian Percival from Markus Zusak’s best-selling 2005 novel of the same name which goes for a dark and menacing doom. Well, as dark and menacing as allowed with a PG-13 rating.

The two pieces repel like oil and water, leaving us with a syrupy, surface-level product that fails to strike a significant chord with tweens, adults, military historians, and especially Oscar voters who are being courted by the film’s rush from a 2014 release to this year’s Oscar season.

The book thief of the title is a spirited and courageous little girl named Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) who is brought from the German countryside to live with her new adoptive parents. Why or how this adoption was arranged isn’t made exactly clear, but we eventually figure out that she and her young brother were taken from their communist mother who was persecuted by the Nazis and forced to surrender the children to the state-mandated care of Rosa (Emily Watson) and Hans (Geoffrey Rush) Hubermann.

Teased at school because of her inability to read, and timid around the new family she’s just met, Liesel struggles to fit in, but the determined child discovers the wonder of books when she’s taught to read by her kindhearted “Papa” who, along with Liesel, keeps a secret dictionary of newly learned words on the chalkboard in their home’s musty basement.

Also stowed away in the cellar is a hidden Jewish guest named Max (Ben Schnetzer) who shares Liesel’s passion for books and encourages the little girl to expand her powers of observation, even as he avoids the prying eyes of the Nazi SS. Equally life-changing is Liesel’s newfound friendship with a young neighbor boy named Rudy (Nico Liersch) who harbors a secret crush on the girl he nicknames “The Book Thief” because of her penchant for “borrowing” books from the burgomaster’s home.

Young Sophie Nélisse is wonderful as the wide-eyed Liesel. In fact, director Brian Percival manages to get the most from his entire cast in spite of Michael Petroni’s neutered script. Rush warms Liesel’s heart – and ours – as the happy-go-lucky Hans, and Watson gives her character a well-developed arc from prickly Hausefrau to protective mother as the authorities – in addition to the allies – close in. But it’s all inconsequential lip service to a plot that fails to transfer any of the gusto from the pages of Zusack’s rich novel about finding beauty in even the ugliest of circumstances. Hitler’s Henchmen aren’t really scary (although their uniforms sure are pretty) and the danger never feels real. Harboring Jews could have meant your life back then, and stealing books from the local authorities would certainly bring down a heap of trouble as well, but even as the war rages on, its consequences, and the talk about it, remain simplistic.

On the positive side of the ledger is the refreshingly atypical view we get of the onset of war through the eyes of regular German folk. Though the debate about the degree of complicity and collusion of the average German citizen to the Nazi cause won’t be solved here, it’s nice to see the other side of the discussion for once.[/tab]

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Synopsis : Based on the beloved bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the inspirational story of a spirited and courageous young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany.[/tab]

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The Book Thief Parent Guide

Unlike graphic war films, "the book thief" is one that parents can quite comfortably share and discuss with their tweens and teens..

Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse) becomes a book thief while living in Germany during WWII. The young girl finds a welcome release in the written word, and shares her escape with those closest to her, including a Jewish refugee (Max Vandenburg) hiding in her home.

Release date November 15, 2013

Run Time: 131 minutes

Official Movie Site

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kerry bennett.

The Book Thief is told from two perspectives—that of Death and a young German girl named Liesel Meminger. In this pre-WWII Germany setting, the Führer is rising to power, inciting the nation to war and beginning his ethnic cleansing. Death knows what is coming; Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) does not.

But by the time Liesel arrives at the home of her foster parents on Heaven Street she’s already been through hell. She watched as her younger brother died in her mother’s arms and was buried in a shallow, frozen grave. Then she was unceremoniously left at the home of Rosa and Hans Hubermann (Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush), never to see her mother (Heike Matatsch) again.

A short time later, the Hubermanns open their door to another refugee. Max Vandenburg (Ben Schnetzer) is a young Jewish man on the run. His father saved Hans’ life during WWI and now the boy is seeking protection from the family. Knowing the risk they are taking, Hans and Rosa hide Max in their dark basement and swear Liesel to absolute secrecy.

Liesel takes comfort in her new family. As well she is befriended by Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch), a blond-headed boy from next door, who idolizes runner Jesse Owens and is always asking for a kiss. But after Hans teaches her to read, she finds solace and power in words. Unfortunately, as the title suggests, Liesel doesn’t come by most of her books honestly. Nor does she suffer any consequences for her thievery. One of her favorite places to “borrow” from is the home library of the Mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann (Barbara Auer).

While many other films relate the events of WWII, this one is unusual because it tells the story from the eyes of a German child, not the Jewish refugee, the soldiers or the advancing Allies. Compared to those other movies, The Book Thief is also a sanitized script with only brief depictions of war actions, the beating of Jews, vandalism and some schoolyard bullying that leads to a fistfight. Even corpses pulled from bombed buildings look more like peacefully sleeping bodies than victims of violence. And the script contains only a handful of profanities along with Rosa’s derogatory nickname for Liesel.

The film does provide a sense of everyday life for many Germans during Hitler’s reign—those who supported him and those who had to hold their tongues. And, unlike graphic war films, The Book Thief is one that parents can quite comfortably share and discuss with their tweens and teens.

About author

Kerry Bennett

The book thief rating & content info.

Why is The Book Thief rated PG-13? The Book Thief is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some violence and intense depiction of thematic material.

Violence: Scenes of war violence are shown including bombing raids, explosions, burning and destroyed buildings and an injured man. Several corpses are shown (none are bloody or have discernable injuries). A boy’s nose begins to bleed as he dies. Several characters are bullied. A girl violently punches a boy and gives him a bloody nose after he taunts her.

Sexual Content: A boy asks a girl to kiss him on several occasions.

Language: The script contains a few terms of Deity and one mild profanity along with repeated name-calling.

Alcohol / Drug Use :A man drinks from a liquor bottle.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

The Book Thief Parents' Guide

In this story many of the characters have to make difficult without knowing what the outcome will be. What effect does Hans refusal to join The Party later have on him? Why do people choose not to express their real feelings or thoughts? Why does Rudy’s father tell him to stop idolizing Owens? What ideas and groups did Hitler want to cleanse from Germany?

Why does Hans tell Liesel that a person is only as good as their word?

What sacrifices do Rosa and Hans make for others? Despite her abrasive exterior, how does Rosa show affection? How does Hans exhibit his own humanity? How does Liesel emulate her father’s concern for others? What does she do in the bomb shelter to help calm others?

This movie is based on The Book Thief , a novel by Markus Zusak .

The most recent home video release of The Book Thief movie is March 11, 2014. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: The Book Thief

Release Date: 11 March 2014

The Book Thief releases to home video (Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy) with the following extras:

- Deleted Scenes

- A Hidden Truth: Bringing The Book

- Thief to Life

- Original Theatrical Trailer

Related home video titles:

Books are both a best friend and a feared enemy to the characters in Inkheart . The horrors of WWII are slowly revealed to another youngster in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas . A group of school children try to understand the magnitude of holocaust in the documentary Paper Clips .

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Booklover Book Reviews

The Book Thief: Book & Movie Review + Quotes, Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, first published in 2005, has gone on to become an international bestseller and a modern classic. We explain why, discuss the movie adaptation of this novel and share some memorable book quotes. Read on for our comprehensive review.

The Book Thief Book Summary

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger and her younger brother are being taken by their mother to live with a foster family outside Munich. Liesel’s father was taken away on the breath of a single, unfamiliar word – Kommunist – and Liesel sees the fear of a similar fate in her mother’s eyes. On the journey, Death visits the young boy, and notices Liesel. It will be the first of many near encounters. By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.

Genre: Literature, Historical, Drama, Action-Adventure

Disclosure: If you click a link in this post we may earn a small commission to help offset our running costs.

BOOK REVIEW

I had this widely acclaimed novel by Australian author Markus Zusak on my to-be-read list on my Kindle for an embarrassingly long time. Why? Probably because The Book Thief  is almost 600 pages long and classified as ‘young adult’ fiction, a genre I am not normally drawn to. I had also read so many rave reviews that I must admit I was a little sceptical. Could a book about The War really be that original?

The answer is – it certainly can.

Who narrates The Book Thief?

Markus Zusak’s decision to cast Death as the narrator was an absolute master-stroke. But Zusak’s Death is not the one-dimensional character we are used to. This Death has a heart and an ironic sense of humour. In my humble opinion, an author that can make his audience feel empathy for Death has a special talent.

‘Where are my manners? I could introduce myself properly, but it’s not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A colour will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.’

Compelling themes

The Book Thief takes place in Munich, Germany on the eve of and then during WWII, and Markus Zusak presents the very human side of war, the strength of individuals and the many complex reasons for their actions.

I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sandcastles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.

This important message is conveyed in a format, that anyone, the young or the old of any culture cannot help but identify with and feel empathy for – the plight of a child.

Memorable characters

That child is Leisel Meminger – a damaged but strong-willed and immensely likeable young girl that displays wisdom beyond her years. She does not judge a book, nor people, by their covers.

The true gifts in this novel that make it so difficult to put down are the special relationships Leisel develops with the wonderful ensemble cast of characters from all walks of life. Particularly charming and compelling is her close friendship with neighbour Rudy Steiner and the various acts of mischief they get up to while the threat of war and societal discord builds around them.

With this tale Markus Zusak reminds us of the extraordinary power of the written word – that books of themselves are so much more than paper and glue.

It didn’t really matter what the book was about. It was what it meant that was important.

The Book Thief should be required reading in schools. I certainly wish I had read it sooner. It will become, if it is not already, a modern-day classic.

BOOK RATING: The Story 5 / 5 ; The Writing 5 / 5

UPDATE: We have since also enjoyed Markus Zusak’s long-awaited new novel Bridge of Cla y .

Get your copy of The Book Thief from:

Amazon Bookshop (US) Booktopia (AU)

* Although I read this novel   on Kindle, I recommend reading it in hard copy. Key elements of the story are presented in pictures which would be easier to read in that format.

Detailed plot summary, character maps, quotes and other useful study materials for this novel are available at CourseHero .

About the Author, Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak ( born 23 June 1975 ) is an Australian author specialising in the young adult genre. This, his number one international best selling novel, has been translated into more than 30 languages.

The Book Thief Movie Review

Bravo to the creators  and cast of The Book Thief movie ! They have proven to me that it is possible to do a book justice in film.

Yes, the cast was generally much better looking than those I’d conjured up in my mind while reading, but that didn’t hurt 😉

Yes, since I knew when the sad parts were coming I was a blubbering mess.

And yes, for the same reasons, I could not stop myself from cataloguing what was interpreted slightly differently and what small pieces of the novel were omitted from the screenplay.

But the key thing is, whenever the movie adaption deviated slightly from the novel, I understood and appreciated why.  It conveys the key themes powerfully while maintaining much of Zusak’s original artistry. If I could have tweaked one thing, I would have utilised even more of the original narrative musings from Death (some of my favourite passages in the novel).

Wonderful performances by Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, and you couldn’t get much sweeter (and very talented) portrayals of the characters ‘Leisel’ and ‘Rudy’ by Sophie Nélisse and Nico Liersch.

The mirroring of humanity within the novel is so important (the reason I believe the novel should be required reading in schools) and so I am heartened that this movie adaptation brings that message to an even wider audience.

The Book Thief Quotes

There are so many wonderful quotes within this novel. Here are a few more of my favourites:

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” – The Book Thief

“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.” – The Book Thief

“A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.” – The Book Thief

Other reviews of The Book Thief

“Unsettling, thought-provoking, life-affirming, triumphant and tragic, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, masterfully told. It is an important piece of work, but also a wonderful page-turner. ” — The Guardian

“It is difficult to imagine how The Book Thief could be anything but depressing, but Zusak illuminates the novel with scenes of brilliance. Small triumphs are made all the more beautiful by his prose. Childlike play is turned into something greater, a snowball fight in the basement is more than a frigid mock battle—it’s a moment that borders on magical. Again and again, Zusak’s characters strive to see the beauty in the world, bringing shards of happiness into the darkest, dirtiest corners.” — LiteraryTraveler

“This big, expansive novel is a leisurely working out of fate, of seemingly chance encounters and events that ultimately touch, like dominoes as they collide. The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. Even at its length, it’s a work to read slowly and savor. Beautiful and important.” — KirkusReviews

If you like the sound of The Book Thief, you may also enjoy reading: The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan  /   The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon  /   The Trouble With Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon  /   The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth  /   The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

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A booklover with diverse reading interests, who has been reviewing books and sharing her views and opinions on this website and others since 2009.