livia-rockenbach This 2008-adaptation of John Boyce's bestseller could really extract the most important essence from the book: the war seen by the eyes of a eight-year-old boy. That's why the strong scenes have the perfect innocence and lightness they should have. Also, the true friendship between Bruno and Shmuel makes everyone, even those who don't appreciate history movies, interested until the end.I have already seen a lot of films whose theme is the Second World War, but this one is definitely my favorite because of the fact that the main characters are children. We cheer for Bruno and Shmuel and we start to hate Bruno's father even before we notice him. The film hooks people from all ages, from adults to children (although I wouldn't recommend it to kids under 10 years old) because, in some way, everyone finds it relatable to their own lives. I must also give credits to young Asa Butterfield's wonderful acting.It is so nice when a movie can actually make people think about what they have watched. This is what happened when I first watched it with my family. We took hours talking about what we had just watched. Even my twelve-year-old brother started to ask more about the Second World War. When he found out this war really happened, he got really upset.The scene of the boys' death is just horrific and very faithful to the book. Again, everything is seen by the eyes of young Bruno, who thinks he's going on a trip. The innocence of both German and Jewish boys made me tear up. For those who are looking for a film that is very faithful to the real details of the war, I have to say that this one is not a realistic representation of real events and it isn't meant to be. It is not based on a real story, so it doesn't have the responsibility of representing every single detail of the real world. Bruno and Shmuel didn't actually exist. However, their story can still make us think and force us to never forget about how humanity has nothing to be proud of about the Holocaust.I would recommend this film to every person who doesn't care about crying when watching a movie. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is touching at the same time that is heavy and powerful. Mark Herman, the director, as well as all the cast and production, succeed in their jobs. Take your tissues to wipe away your tears and press start!

PrettyPrettyPrincess976 I remember when I first watched this movie. I never wanted to watch it, because I thought it was going to either A, in subtitles,(which I refuse to watch), because it makes my brain hurt. B, be something dumb,boring,and (wait for my apology please) meant for little kids under 4 to watch! I.. WAS.. COMPLETELY.. TAKEN.. ABACK.. I went to lay down and fall asleep to whatever was on TV,and this movie was on! I said to myself, whatever I'll be asleep soon. Within 15 mins. I was hooked. The cast was beyond brilliant. I know these stories have been told time and time again, but they never ever get less haunting or more horrifying. I cannot pick which scene is "favorite", because they all were astonishing. The little boys were fantastic! I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but my daughter and I love this movie. We watch this every single time it's on. I will say this, if I would've seen the poster for the movie, I probably would've never ever seen the movie. That would've definitely put me on the you should not watch that list!

amysquire87 When watching this film I think it's best remembered that this story was written for children to help them understand the holocaust (if such a thing were possible). The plot is simple and the historical accuracy has been maligned, however I don't think this makes it an insult to survivors and victims as others have suggested. The acting is sensitively done and I thought the 'ordinariness' of it all (as very little of the camp is shown until the end) actually brought home the reality of it. Same goes for the English accents. For English speaking audiences I thought this really made the characters seem even more like a family who could be living next door. It's too easy to call the perpetrators of the holocaust evil. They were ordinary men with families which makes it all the more chilling and thought provoking. Up until the ending I thought this was an 'easy' film which surprised me given the subject, but it builds to the last scenes which did exactly what every good account on the holocaust should do - made you think 'Never again'.

Jean-Pol Cardin My opinion---"The boy in the striped pajamas" is a drama of war realized with the hands of a master by: Mark Herman, he knew how to put his sensibility on a subject that can not be more delicate than this black period of human history, with His deportations, his massacres, his pure horror. A very realistic and very hard movie on the concentration camps, and the story is really poignant, and the characters are well written and superbly interpreted by very convincing actors. Asa Butterfield in the role: Bruno and Jack Scanlon in the role of Shmuel (the Jewish boy) and Vera Farmiga in the role of Asa's mother and David Thewlis in the role of Asa's father. A movie that fills the spectator with emotion, a great film of its kind, because all these wars are also all the misfortunes of the world that fall on the heads of the innocent, a movie to be discovered absolutely for its sensitivity to the skin