The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas — difficult to sit with

Spoiler-free review.

The strongest parts of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas are often the simplest conversations. A child asks something directly, and an adult avoids answering it. You can feel the distance between what is being said and what is being understood.

Asa Butterfield plays Bruno with a curiosity that makes their conversations uncomfortable. Jack Scanlon gives Shmuel a quieter presence, and their scenes rely more on awkward attempts to connect than on fancy dialogue. The acting gives the film a human heart.

Mark Herman keeps the telling straightforward. The contrast between the children’s limited understanding and the adults’ behaviour does much of the work. Vera Farmiga is particularly effective in scenes where a reaction tells you more than the words around it.

Some of the writing pushes hard for an emotional response, and the simplified setup has serious limits. UCL’s Centre for Holocaust Education has documented the historical misconceptions associated with the story. I would treat it as a fictional drama, rather than a reliable picture of camp life.

9/10 for its emotional impact and the performances. A painful watch, keeping in mind the difference between moving fiction and accurate history.

Directed by Mark Herman · 2008 · English. Film details: Miramax. Poster artwork © its respective rights holders.

— Desly