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the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

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Mark Herman's "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" depends for its powerful impact on why, and when, it transfers the film's point of view. For almost all of the way, we see events through the eyes of a bright, plucky 8-year-old. Then we begin to look out through the eyes of his parents. Why and when that transfer takes place gathers all of the film's tightly wound tensions and savagely uncoils them. It is not what happens to the boy, which I will not tell you. It is -- all that happens. All of it, before and after.

Bruno ( Asa Butterfield ) is a boy growing up in a comfy household in Berlin, circa 1940. His dad ( David Thewlis ) goes off to the office every day. He's a Nazi official. Bruno doesn't think about that much, but he's impressed by his ground-level view of his father's stature. One day Bruno gets the unwelcome news that his dad has a new job, and they will all be moving to the country.

It'll be a farm, his parents reassure him. Lots of fun. Bruno doesn't want to leave his playmates and his much-loved home. His grandma ( Sheila Hancock ) doesn't approve of the move either. There seems to be a lot she doesn't approve of, but children are made uneasy by family tension and try to evade it.

There's a big house in the country, surrounded by high walls. It looks stark and modern to be a farmhouse. Army officials come and go. They fill rooms with smoke as they debate policy and procedures. Bruno can see the farm fields from his bedroom window. He asks his parents why the farmers are wearing striped pajamas. They give him one of those evasive answers that only drives a smart kid to find out for himself.

At the farm, behind barbed wire, he meets a boy about his age. They make friends. They visit as often as they can. The other boy doesn't understand what's going on any more than Bruno does. Their stories were told in a 2007 young adult's novel of the same name by John Boyne, which became a best seller. I learn the novel tells more about what the child thinks he hears and knows, but the film is implacable in showing where his curiosity leads him.

Other than what "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is about, it almost seems to be an orderly story of those British who always know how to speak and behave. Those British? Yes, the actors speak with crisp British accents, which I think is actually more effective than having them speaking with German accents, or in subtitles. It dramatizes the way the German professional class internalized Hitler's rule and treated it as business as usual. Charts, graphs, titles, positions, uniforms, promotions, performance evaluations.

How can ordinary professional people proceed in this orderly routine when their business is evil? Easier than we think, I believe. I still obsess about those few Enron executives who knew the entire company was a Ponzi scheme. I can't forget the Oregon railroader who had his pension stolen. The laughter of Enron soldiers who joked about killing grandmothers with their phony California "energy crisis." Whenever loyalty to the enterprise becomes more important than simple morality, you will find evil functioning smoothly.

There has not again been evil on the scale of 1939-1945. But there has been smaller-scale genocide. Mass murder. Wars generated by lies and propaganda. The Wall Street crash stripped people of their savings, their pensions, their homes, their jobs, their hopes of providing for their families. It happened because a bureaucracy and its status symbols became more important than what it was allegedly doing.

Have I left my subject? I don't think so. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is not only about Germany during the war, although the story it tells is heartbreaking in more than one way. It is about a value system that survives like a virus. Do I think the people responsible for our economic crisis were Nazis? Certainly not. But instead of collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in rewards for denying to themselves what they were doing, I wish they had been forced to flee to Paraguay in submarines.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust

David Thewlis as Father

Sheila Hancock as Grandma

Vera Farmiga as Mother

Jim Norton as Herr Liszt

Rupert Friend as Lt. Kotler

Richard Johnson as Grandpa

Jack Scanlon as Shmuel

Asa Butterfield as Bruno

Amber Beattie as Gretel

Cara Horgan as Maria

David Hayman as Pavel

Written and directed by

  • Mark Herman

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The boy in the striped pajamas, common sense media reviewers.

the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

Holocaust drama sensitive, but never sentimental.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Extensive discussion of the German attitude toward

Bruno's dad runs a death camp. Bruno tries to do t

Guards brandish guns; prisoners are threatened wit

Affection between a long-married couple; non-sexua

One non-sexual use of "f---ing" and extensive use

A Mercedes logo is visible on the hood of a car.

Characters drink hard liquor, champagne, and wine

Parents need to know that this intense World War II-set drama follows a young boy whose father, a German officer, has moved the entire family close to his new assignment -- running a death camp dedicated to the mass extermination and murder of Jewish prisoners. The boy befriends a prisoner on the other side of the…

Positive Messages

Extensive discussion of the German attitude toward and treatment of Jewish prisoners during World War II, including deliberate, dehumanizing language. Discussion of anti-Semitic philosophies and ideas. Discussions of duty to one's country and race.

Positive Role Models

Bruno's dad runs a death camp. Bruno tries to do the right thing at times.

Violence & Scariness

Guards brandish guns; prisoners are threatened with guns, clubs, and dogs. A beating is administered off screen. Discussion of a supporting character dying during an English bombing raid. The mechanisms of mass extermination are seen in action, including a sensitively shot yet still devastating sequence in which a room crammed with concentration-camp prisoners is gassed.

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

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Affection between a long-married couple; non-sexual, waist-up male nudity as concentration camp prisoners strip for a "shower."

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

One non-sexual use of "f---ing" and extensive use of "Jew" as an epithet.

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

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Characters drink hard liquor, champagne, and wine and smoke cigarettes and cigars (accurate for the time period).

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 this intense World War II-set drama follows a young boy whose father, a German officer, has moved the entire family close to his new assignment -- running a death camp dedicated to the mass extermination and murder of Jewish prisoners. The boy befriends a prisoner on the other side of the wire even as his teachers and parents explain to him about how "the Jew" is the enemy. Given the subject matter, the film -- which culminates in a room full of people being killed with poison gas -- could be difficult to watch for viewers of any age. There's also some drinking and smoking and concentration camp violence. 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 (61)
  • Kids say (219)

Based on 61 parent reviews

Beautiful but extremely emotional and distressing

Very sad film, what's the story.

Bruno ( Asa Butterfield) is a young boy growing up in Berlin with his sister, mother ( Vera Farmiga ), and father ( David Thewlis ) -- but that all changes when his father gets a new post in the country. From his window, Bruno can now see people toiling at the distant facility where his father works -- farmers, as near as he can tell, tending a garden, and all wearing "striped pajamas." We soon understand what Bruno does not -- that his father's new post is at a death camp dedicated to the extermination of Jewish prisoners. Sneaking out of the family's house and through the back woods to the camp, Bruno meets a young boy, Shmuel ( Jack Scanlon ), and the two become friends -- as Bruno comes to understand why Shmuel is on the other side of the wire.

Is It Any Good?

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS, based on John Boyne's novel, is a quietly effective, tastefully crafted, and ultimately devastating portrait of the Holocaust as seen through one boy's eyes. Directed by Mark Herman ( Hope Springs , Little Voice ), The Boy in the Striped Pajamas pulls off a hard-to-imagine balance between the innocence and optimism of children and the evil and darkness of modern history's greatest crime. As Bruno, Butterfield is on-screen in almost every scene, and viewers see the world through his eyes -- as well as his confusion as he comes to truly see the world. "We're not supposed to be friends, you and me," Bruno notes to Shmuel through electrified barbed wire. "We're supposed to be enemies." Bruno can't understand what's going on; what The Boy in the Striped Pajamas shows us is how the grown-ups in Bruno's life (played superbly by Farmiga and Thewlis) are just as capable of deluding themselves about what's really going on at the camp.

At the same time, Bruno isn't a cardboard innocent; he acts selfishly, speaks unthinkingly, and betrays Shmuel in a moment of fear. Herman's direction is never sentimental and yet always sensitive, thoughtful but never flashy, and acutely aware of the dramatic and moral stakes on the table. We only see the mechanisms of mass extermination in one scene; the rest of the film just hints and suggests what's really going on at the camp (which, while unnamed, is clearly Auschwitz) -- which in many ways is more terrifying than more explicit scenes. When Farmiga's character recoils at a rank plume of smoke coming from the camp's chimneys, a young officer smirks: "They smell even worse when they burn, don't they?" and Farmiga's face collapses under the weight of realization; she had no idea. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas builds to a brutal, haunting finale that doesn't let innocence, love, or friendship save the day and sticks with you long after the credits have rolled.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what teens know about the Holocaust. What upset them in the movie? Why?

Ask your kids whether they think people can be good and evil at the same time. Then you can go into the discussion of how the Holocaust was kept secret. Was it actually hidden, or did people know and simply look the other way?

Families can also discuss what keeps drawing filmmakers and audiences to this subject material.

Movie Details

  • In theaters : November 7, 2008
  • On DVD or streaming : March 10, 2009
  • Cast : Asa Butterfield , David Thewlis , Vera Farmiga
  • Director : Mark Herman
  • Inclusion Information : Female actors
  • Studio : Miramax
  • Genre : Drama
  • Run time : 95 minutes
  • MPAA rating : PG-13
  • MPAA explanation : some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust
  • Last updated : November 15, 2023

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the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

  • DVD & Streaming

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

  • Drama , War

Content Caution

the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

In Theaters

  • Asa Butterfield as Bruno; Jack Scanlon as Shmuel; Vera Farmiga as Elsa; David Thewlis as Ralf; Amber Beattie as Gretel; Rupert Friend as Lieutenant Kotler; Jim Norton as Herr Liszt; Richard Johnson as Grandpa; Sheila Hancock as Grandma; David Hayman as Pavel

Home Release Date

  • Mark Herman

Distributor

  • Miramax Films

Movie Review

Ah, little boys. They’re impish, curious, messy and daring. Most mothers of boys have at least a few gray hairs because of their sons’ escapades. Sometimes boys really can stop fidgeting at the table and squirming during church. Sometimes they can even resist the temptation to torment their sisters. Rarely, though, can they ignore the all-consuming urge to explore—and this thirst for excitement can get them into trouble.

Enter 8-year-old Bruno, an inventive young German who loves to read adventure books and investigate whatever is outside. When we meet him in the early 1940s, his father, Ralf, a high-ranking military officer, has just accepted an important position within the Nazi war effort. The family packs up their city home in Berlin and moves to a country house located near what Bruno thinks is a strange farm.

Naive Bruno doesn’t fully understand what’s happening in his new world, including why his 12-year-old sister, Gretel, suddenly spurns a treasured doll collection and decorates her bedroom with Nazi youth posters. He can’t comprehend why old Pavel, a “farmer” who works in the kitchen, gave up being a doctor so he could peel potatoes. Nor can he fathom why Pavel and all the other “farmers” wear striped pajamas.

Bruno especially struggles with his mother’s order to stay inside their very uninspiring, walled-in front yard. After all, he thinks the “farm” just beyond the woods out back must be full of fun, food, animals and potential playmates.

So, when his tedious tutor, Herr Liszt, and the lackluster life indoors become too much for him to tolerate, he begins to sneak off. He runs through the trees to the “farm,” where he meets Shmuel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas who lives behind a huge electrified fence.

[ Note: The following sections contain plot spoilers. ]

Positive Elements

Bruno’s mother is reasonably patient with his disappointment when they move, but she isn’t silent, either. She tells Bruno that sitting around being miserable won’t make things any happier. In response, for a while he tries his best to be content.

Despite the adults around him who demean Jews, Bruno ultimately learns to see Shmuel and Pavel through the lens of his own positive, firsthand experience with them. While his friendship with Shmuel wouldn’t necessarily be called courageous (Bruno is bored and unaware, and Shmuel is the only friend available), it does reveal the beauty of innocence, which underscores the wickedness of the adults’ cruelty. And while Bruno is at first intimidated into siding with his father’s and the surrounding soldiers’ hateful opinions of his Jewish friends, he realizes that something is very wrong, and he questions his dad’s moral goodness.

One day Shmuel’s father goes missing at the “farm.” Bruno offers to help his friend search for him, saying, “It will be like an adventure!” Shmuel gets a pair of spare “pajamas” for Bruno so he won’t draw attention, and Bruno digs a (precise and impossibly large) trench under the fence. Until he comes face to face with the horror inside the wire, Bruno seems to just be having fun. But when he sees enough to become frightened, he gathers himself and makes a clear decision to face his fear in order to help his friend.

This act is redemptive, in a way, since Bruno turned his back on Shmuel a few days (weeks?) earlier. In that circumstance, he lied in such a way that Shmuel is thought to be a thief and is subsequently beaten by soldiers (offscreen).

Elsa’s ignorance about what’s going on in war-torn Germany is much less excusable than her son’s, and it seems she chooses to remain oblivious regarding what occurs at the “farm.” But when she finally realizes how grave the situation is—that her husband is in charge of mass exterminations—she begins to justly rail against him, demanding that he immediately quit. She’s also alarmed by Gretel’s growing vehemence against Jews.

While raising questions about where duty to one’s country ends and conscience and morality begin, the film winds these themes together to teach a powerful lesson about human equality. Prejudice is rightfully shown to be based on lies and hatred. And it’s reinforced that every one of us has a responsibility to choose rightness and truth, even when the tide of a society is utterly against us.

Spiritual Elements

Bruno says a bedtime prayer with his father, thanking God (in Jesus’ name) for His protection. It’s a sweet children’s rhyme that seems real to the boy, and its candid trust feels oddly situated against Nazi hatred. A preacher says another prayer at Ralf’s mother’s funeral service.

Sexual Content

Precocious Gretel holds twentysomething Lt. Kotler’s forearm in an adoring way and is embarrassed when Bruno publicly reminds her that she is only 12.

Violent Content

Oblivious to the real-life awfulness they’re mimicking, Bruno and his young friends in Berlin act like fighter planes and pretend to shoot machine guns. In a different play scene, Bruno runs through the woods flailing a stick and shouting, “Die! Die!” A little blood shows up when he falls out of a tire swing and skins his knee.

Nazis shove Jews onto wagons while dogs nip and bark. When inky black smoke rises from the furnace at the “farm,” Lt. Kotler quips, “They smell even worse when they burn, don’t they?” Later he and Ralf yell at Pavel, and Kotler beats the old man to death. We see the lieutenant grab Pavel’s head and hit him, and we hear yelling and more powerful blows after Kotler drags him into another room. The next morning, Maria scrubs the blood from the wood floor where Pavel lay.

Kotler also yells at Shmuel and Bruno. We don’t see the officer hurt Shmuel, but it’s clear that he does when the boy disappears for days and finally returns with a badly beaten face.

Ralf calmly announces his mother’s death. We’re told she died in a bombing, but circumstances could be viewed as suspicious because she’d stridently opposed the Nazi party line even when Ralf warned her not to. Similarly, Lt. Kotler talks himself into a corner one night by casually mentioning that his father emigrated to Switzerland before the war. Ralf reminds the lieutenant that he must report his father as a defector, and Kotler is disciplined for his oversight by being moved to the war’s front line.

And then we arrive at the final minutes of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas : Nazi soldiers herd men and boys into a gas chamber. We see their terrified expressions as they’re jammed against one other in the dim room. A soldier wearing a gas mask rains down poison through a rooftop opening. And prisoners howl until there is silence.

Crude or Profane Language

In making its righteous points about prejudice and racism, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas resists the temptation to brandish epithets, but does include anti-Semitic remarks. Ralf claims that Jews “aren’t really people at all.” Gretel calls them “evil, dangerous vermin.” Liszt teaches his pupils that Jews are a destructive enemy of culture that cost Germany the first world war. He also tells Bruno that if he finds a “nice Jew” he “would be the best explorer in all the world.”

Bruno calls his mother “stupid.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

The adults have champagne at a going-away party and later drink wine with dinner. Ralf smokes cigarettes, sometimes in front of his kids.

Other Negative Elements

Bruno and truthfulness share a strained relationship. He frequently lies to his mother about his whereabouts, disobeying her rules. He fibs about the contents of his book bag. And when he lies to Lt. Kotler, saying Shmuel stole food, his selfishness costs Shmuel dearly.

Elsa and Ralf argue loudly about his role in the war, causing Gretel and Bruno to huddle together for comfort. Elsa calls Ralf a monster whose own mother couldn’t love him.

Crowds of Jewish men and boys are forced to strip naked. Huddled together, and with the camera looking on mostly from above, only their upper torsos are seen.

Set against the horror of the Holocaust, Bruno’s naiveté and investigative spirit look that much more innocent. The boy’s inability to comprehend prejudice and killing, and his instinctive, uncomplicated ability to see Jews as real human beings starkly contrast Nazi cruelty, brightly illuminating the viciousness and irrationality of the bloodshed.

A significant plot twist—which is one spoiler I’ve tried very hard to keep out of this review—demonstrates with breathtaking force how the consequences of evil behavior eventually affect all those involved, perpetrators included.

Beyond this, Elsa’s role may serve as sobering testament against complacency. After she blindly follows Ralf to his new post, she struggles with her own attitude toward Jews but does nothing significant to help them, even as she begins to recognize their unjust fate. Her conformity should remind us of our own apathy in other situations, and it challenges us to question situations until we fully understand them, fight for what we believe in and stand up for those who cannot defend themselves.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas , which is based on a book by John Boyne, also illustrates how powerful words and images are. Bruno, who likely represents thousands of his contemporaries, doesn’t always know what to make of his father’s job. That is, until a propaganda film he sees calls the death camp—the “farm”—a wonderful place with “hearty, nutritious meals,” and the camera shows seemingly happy Jews smiling and waving. After the film, Bruno proudly hugs his father.

It’s often said that if history is forgotten, it’s likely to be repeated. So perhaps the most profitable thing about the film is the fact that—without including any of the gore and explicit violence seen in similar films—it reminds us about our global history of brutality. We must recall and keep recalling the Holocaust and other atrocities like it. And never overlook the millions who have needlessly died at the hand of hatred and greed.

Heartbreaking and soul-rending, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is, then, one more piece of the puzzle that ultimately forms the picture of who we were, who we are and who we don’t want to become.

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) Review

This article was written exclusively for  The Film Magazine   by Bethen Blackabee of Films at Focal Point .

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) Director: Mark Herman Screenwriter: Mark Herman Starring: Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, Cara Horgan, Amber Beattie, David Thewlis, David Hayman, Jack Scanlon, Rupert Friend

It takes a truly incredible film to make an audience physically and emotionally react without intention, something that Mark Herman’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas does with ease. This ingenious piece of work combines a heart-warming narrative of friendship and childhood with a factual documentation of mass murder and politics, using a variety of canny visuals to create conflict both within the film and within ourselves. Based in World War II Germany, this 2008 release follows the story of a young boy, Bruno, after he and his family relocate as a result of his father’s promotion. Bruno is aware of his father’s work as a soldier, but his innocence shields him from the horrific reality of his father’s role within the Nazi party. Whilst exploring the surrounding areas of his new home, Bruno meets Shmuel, a boy who is trapped within the walls of a barbed wire fence. Though Shmuel understands most of his and his family’s situation, Bruno has no knowledge of the true nature of the farm he sees before him; the basis of a challenging friendship.

What makes this film stand out is the way in which it approaches each narrative beat from a child’s perspective. Bruno’s positioning at the forefront of most scenes means that he dictates the tone, his innocence a key factor regarding how the situation is represented and how we are led to view it. Several impactful moments of background action (relating to Jewish discrimination and genocide) coincide with shots of Bruno’s everyday life as a child, where he appears oblivious to the terrifying realities surrounding him. Fiction films often mask factual events as stories through the association of cinema and narrative by the audience, suggesting that some action is added for cinematic impact, but while Bruno and Shmuel’s friendship is not based on a true story, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas continuously references historical context to remind each of us of the horrifying reality of what we are seeing elsewhere in the frame. Some spectators believe that the entirety of the film is based on truth, expressing the true capabilities of Herman as a director and the talent of the cast.

There are several fantastic examples of cinematography relating to these moments, as well as the use of symbolic props and placement to increase the power of the image. A mountain of bare dolls, an empty concrete room, a barbed wire fence; these are all examples of how simple set design has led to some incredibly chilling visuals, encouraging the association of the image with history. Colour also plays a huge part here, juxtaposing the rich with the neutral to contrast the locations, people and situations. Darker colours suggest wealth, power and health, whereas bland colours (such as beige, brown and white) connote the opposite, comparing the two boys’ lives and the destiny of each group in a wider war-time context.

The contrast of (diegetic) noise and pronounced silence is a fantastic addition to the structure of the film, creating a devastating yet stunning final image. Pronounced silence has become a widely used technique in films with important messages, often paired with stunning cinematography to allow spectators to digest the action. When constructed effectively, just as Herman has done here, it can leave its audience shaken to the core, the message embedded deep inside the mind. With such an incredible final sequence, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has done exactly this. It will leave you speechless, and for once not wanting to know more.

The film’s persistence and focus upon character development builds up to this moment, each and every character given important personality details to provide a wider spread of identifiable individuals. This is further supported by some incredible acting, creating a seemingly accurate line of events that suggest a level of realness that few films successfully portray. Credit must go to Asa Butterfield (Bruno), Amber Beattie (Gretel) and Jack Scanlon (Shmuel) in particular, the child actors each exhibiting an incredible level of performance and empathy for such young talents. Each of their personalities are convincing and, despite holding some negative traits, invite empathy and a relatability to their view of the world. Vera Farmiga also provides a heart-breaking performance as Bruno’s mother, her slow deterioration of mental health and love for her husband delivered to perfection. The final sequence shows Farmiga and Beattie’s full potential as actresses, a heart-wrenching moment to watch as their emotions explode in a state of anger, fear and hurt. With the additional talents of the likes of David Thewlis, Rupert Friend and David Hayman each involved in prominent roles, the entire collection of performances within The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has a hugely positive impact on the overall execution of the story, controlling the power of each and every moment, thus creating a deeper empathy and understanding regarding the topic at hand.

Overall,  The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a true credit to Herman’s filmography as a screenwriter-director. Such a hard-hitting and emotional narrative, presented to the realistic and powerful extent that Herman has achieved, deserves endless recognition. Though many films are memorable, this is one of the few that can be said to have left a mark on millions of individuals, as evidenced through the instant recognition that is expressed whenever it is mentioned in conversation. Like a small handful of cinema’s most impactful moments, this film has you fully engaged as a constant, receiving an obvious physical reaction through its continuous suspense and ever more impactful narrative beats. With a powerful and scarring ending that will be ingrained into the memories of all who see it, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a devastating piece of delicately handled and incredible cinema; a film that will likely become a deserved classic for future cinephiles.

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

2008, Drama/History, 1h 34m

What to know

Critics Consensus

A touching and haunting family film that deals with the Holocaust in an arresting and unusual manner, and packs a brutal final punch of a twist. Read critic reviews

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During World War II, 8-year-old Bruno (Asa Butterfield) and his family leave Berlin to take up residence near the concentration camp where his father (David Thewlis) has just become commandant. Unhappy and lonely, he wanders out behind his house one day and finds Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), a Jewish boy of his age. Though the barbed-wire fence of the camp separates them, the boys begin a forbidden friendship, oblivious to the real nature of their surroundings.

Rating: PG-13 (Some Mature Thematic Material|Involving the Holocaust)

Genre: Drama, History

Original Language: English (United Kingdom)

Director: Mark Herman

Producer: David Heyman

Writer: Mark Herman

Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 2008  limited

Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA): $9.0M

Runtime: 1h 34m

Distributor: Miramax Films

Production Co: Heyday Films, Miramax Films, BBC Films

Cast & Crew

David Thewlis

Vera Farmiga

Rupert Friend

Lieutenant Kotler

Asa Butterfield

Jack Scanlon

Amber Beattie

Cara Horgan

Richard Johnson

Sheila Hancock

David Hayman

Laszlo Aron

Mark Herman

Executive Producer

Christine Langan

David Heyman

James Horner

Original Music

Benoît Delhomme

Cinematographer

Michael Ellis

Film Editing

Martin Childs

Production Design

Natalie Ward

Costume Design

Set Decoration

Radu Rázvan

Art Director

Szilvia Ritter

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Critic Reviews for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Audience reviews for the boy in the striped pajamas.

The negative criticism of this film seems to be because a) for a children's film the denouement is far too horrific and b) the film trivialises the holocaust. This film is, obviously, not a documentary, or a thorough look at the holocaust, or an exhaustive epic. Instead, it is a powerful, beautifully acted film largely seen from the point of view of an eight year old trying to make sense of something that doesn't, given conflicted information, or shielded, or subjected to dangerous propaganda, or denied voice (the mother is a particularly fascinating character, acted with quiet anger by Vera Farmiga). The ending is undeniably powerful but to say that it is "too much" is a condescending viewpoint of children and what they understand (which paradoxically ties into the film's very theme). Taken as what it is - which in no way is a criticism - this film is practically a masterpiece.

the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

Popularity of a Labrador, bravado of a Bulldog, confused as a Cockerpoo and Totally Shih-Tzu. This WWII drama follows Bruno and his German family from their family home in Berlin to their new house following his Father's promotion. His Father is presumably an SS Officer and he is to become the new Governor of a concentration camp (loosely based on Auschwitz). The new home is next to the camp and the audience watch as Bruno slowly finds out more and more about the situation as the wool can no longer be pulled over his eyes. It is very much a movie about viewing the holocaust through the eyes of a child. When he views the camp for the first time through his bedroom window (having been shielded from the truth by his parents) he thinks he can see farmers tendering the land in their nightwear. I am very interested in anything related to the Second World War. I really wanted to like this film, but I can't; 'cos it's crap. Many people who have seen the film find it shocking. I must admit that I did too. We see the Swastika's flying on the red Nazi flags, the German troops and are aware we are in the German capital in the 1940's. The first man opens his mouth to speak and out flows the English language. I found this shocking, but was intrigued to see how this would work. As the film continued my irritation was building to a crescendo. It's not like Schindler's List where, everyone speaks with various accents, but speak English as it's an American Movie. The Nazis speak with the thickest of English accents, as do the Jews, the children and the rest of the world presumably. It really is the clearest "Queens English", I can just image one of the SS officers turning to the other and saying; "Pardon me old boy, would you mind awfully if we stopped for a spot of afternoon tea before we stroll over the road and bump 'orf a couple of dozen gentlemen of the Jewish persuasion?" Image a new movie is coming out called "Churchill", which is made by Germans but set in England. Imagine that we're in the height of WW2 and the family gather around the wireless to hear our Prime Minister speak. We hear him deliver his most famous of speeches - "We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender". Now image that its delivered in the thickest German you've ever heard! Personally I find this aspect of the film insulting. As a Brit and for the Germans. It's not a subtle thing, its very "in your face" and clearly done on purpose. It doesn't stop at the language either. Everything about this movie wreaks of English culture. I did consider whether it was portrayed like this so the audience would relate more or perhaps to bridge a cultural separation. But for whatever reason, it doesn't work and was a poor choice. Especially in the scene where they view the film that has been made to eradicate peoples doubts in the camp - that its more of a holiday camp than a death camp. Moving on; everything from the acting, to the music, to the wardrobe is inaccurate, weak and feels like a cheap amateur production. The story is supposed to be a tragedy, but I couldn't get into the film enough to feel anything. It's just too unbelievable. I can't believe that some of the actors were selected for their roles. I just can't understand why. Maybe they were the only ones to turn up on the day? Jack Scanlon (Shmuel) is particularly bad. As far as acting goes, I feel Henry Kingsmill (who played Karl) was the best by a long way. More convincing than anyone else on screen throughout. For me, the movie is all mixed up, back to front and round the wrong way. Jewish characters played by clearly non-Jewish actors, the movie is all in English but the literature is in German, the German child is brunette and the Jewish child is blonde and most notably 6,000,000 Jews were murdered in the holocaust yet this is a tragic story of 1 Nazi child who was killed alongside. If you swap the Nazi's, the Jew's and the concentration camp for Al Qaeda, American citizens and the Twin Towers America would boycott the movie and label it as seriously poor taste. On a positive note, I felt that certain scenes seemed metaphorical. Which I found quite insightful. Such as when Bruno (Asa Butterfield - one of the better actors in the movie) lies about being friends with Shmuel out of fear. As maybe many Germans did at the time. I found the scene where his Father is deciding to "come clean" and tells his son; "Those people ... are not really people at all" quite a good reflection on how Germany saw Jews, as parasites. I would have liked to see that scene go on a little longer. Perhaps to answer some of the questions Bruno may have asked. I found it a clever idea that Bruno asked questions and in the lack of response the viewer seems to answer them in their own mind. This way it becomes very personal. It would have been very powerful, if it wasn't so transparent. In short The Boy in Striped Pajamas strives to be a sentimental, heartfelt, shocking tale of discovery. But is ultimately an unbelievable, naive, clearly fictional story that is only shocking to those previously unaware of the situation. It loses marks for being unconvincing, making poor choices in direction, being weak throughout and personally found it insulting to me and the darkest hour of World War II.

Moving film about those in concentration camps in WWII. Good performances.

An oversimplification of the Holocaust, yes, as a very young German boy during WWll accidentally discovers exactly what his camp commandant dad does for a living, but to be forgiven its chosen naive viewpoint in respect to its chosen naive audience: a perfect film for schools.

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has ... Read all Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences. Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.

  • Mark Herman
  • Asa Butterfield
  • David Thewlis
  • Rupert Friend
  • 569 User reviews
  • 147 Critic reviews
  • 55 Metascore
  • 7 wins & 7 nominations

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Trailer

  • Lieutenant Kotler
  • (as Zac Mattoon-O'Brien)

Vera Farmiga

  • Berlin Cook

Amber Beattie

  • Palm Court Singer

David Hayman

  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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127 Hours

Did you know

  • Trivia Bruno's parents are named Ralf and Elsa, but in the credits of the film they are listed as "Father" and "Mother." This is a tribute to the novel, in which the narrative focuses solely on Bruno's point of view.
  • Goofs The Nazi banners at the film's beginning are sheer and translucent: silk, nylon or rayon. Nazi banners were constructed of wool and were never translucent.

Shmuel : I wish you'd remembered the chocolate.

Bruno : Yes, I'm sorry. I know! Perhaps you can come and have supper with us sometime.

Shmuel : I can't, can I? Because of this.

[points the electric fence]

Bruno : But that's to stop the animals getting out, isn't it?

Shmuel : Animals? No, it's to stop people getting out.

Bruno : Are you not allowed out? Why? What have you done?

Shmuel : I'm a Jew.

  • Crazy credits Quotation displayed before the opening titles: "Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows - John Betjeman"
  • Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Quantum of Solace/Madagascar 2/Soul Men/Repo! The Genetic Opera/The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
  • Soundtracks Rhythm For You Written by Eddy Christiani and Frans Poptie Courtesy of APM Music

User reviews 569

  • Sep 11, 2008
  • How long is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas? Powered by Alexa
  • Is "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" based on a book?
  • How do Bruno and Shmuel meet?
  • If the movie is set in Germany, why do they have English accents?
  • November 26, 2008 (United States)
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Official Facebook
  • Official Site
  • Chú bé mang pyjama sọc
  • Kerepesi Cemetery, Budapest, Hungary
  • Heyday Films
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro
  • $12,500,000 (estimated)
  • Nov 9, 2008
  • $40,416,563

Technical specs

  • Runtime 1 hour 34 minutes
  • Dolby Digital

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“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” Essay

Introduction, film review, the good points in the movie, the bad points in the movie, historical accuracy of the movie, works cited.

Most individuals prefer watching movies as a way of entrainment or killing time especially the youth. Movies entail different themes that might range from historical experiences to current day-to-day experiences. However, some movies and television shows purporting to highlight some historical issues may lack historical validity and accurateness. This paper is a review and historical analysis of the film, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

The film is founded on a novel with the same title. John Boyne authored the novel. The film’s director is Mark Herman, and it was released in 2008. The main actor is Bruno, who is eight years of age living in the countryside with his family after his father receives a promotion in the workplace. Bruno’s dad is a commandant of an extermination camp, which borders their homestead, but it separated by a barbed wire electric fence.

At one point, Bruno decides to disobey the rules forbidding him from accessing the back garden. Curiosity leads him to the fence surrounding the extermination camp. Bruno meets Shmuel, who is a Jewish inmate at the camp, and befriends him. Bruno speculates the striped uniform that Shmuel is wearing to resemble pajamas, thus hinting to the viewers about the origin of the film’s title. The pair organizes regular meetings where they are involved in playing board games together, and Bruno sneaks food to his friend during such occasions.

One day, Bruno’s mother discovers the assignment of his husband following some insights from a junior commissioned officer often called Lieutenant concerning the black smoke emanating from the chimneys of the camp. Apparently, the smoke comes from the burning of the Jews who are perceived as lesser humans in the Nazi Germany. Bruno’s mother becomes agitated and heartbroken, and thus she confronts her husband. Later on at a dinner in Bruno’s home, the lieutenant pronounces how his biological father had moved to Switzerland and left his family.

Bruno’s father accuses the Lieutenant of neglect of duty and recklessness by not informing the concerned authorities about his father’s eminent disagreements with the prevailing political regime. Therefore, to prove his ultimate support for the political regime and cover his embarrassment, Lieutenant Kotler beats to death the Jewish inmate who was a servant at Bruno’s house so that he could show his undeterred support to the political system.

Later on, by coincidence, Shmuel replaces the murdered servant. Due to amusement, Bruno decides to offer him a cake. Unfortunately, the lieutenant sees Shmuel chewing and immediately accuses him of theft. Shmuel explains that the cake was duly offered to him, but Bruno denies the claims out of fear. Bruno decides to go and apologize to Shmuel. However, the servant cannot be found. Bruno keeps on going back to the same venue at the camp, but he is never fortunate to meet his friend until one moment when Shmuel reappears at the fence. During the reunion, Bruno expresses his ultimate apologies to his friend who forgives him before rekindled their friendship ( The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ).

Towards the end of the movie, Bruno endeavors to help Shmuel’s find his father who is missing after failing to return to the camp after a march. Consequently, he disappears from their house by digging a hole under the barbed wire fence to access the camp where Shmuel is residing. Later, his mother and sister discover that Bruno is missing. They inform the father who launches an immediate search together with his men. However, the search is unfruitful because the prohibited friendship between Bruno and Shmuel becomes a tragedy.

In the film, the aspect of true friendship is evident as demonstrated by Bruno and his ultimate affection to Shmuel, who is an inmate and a Jew. The audience often observes the deep relationship expressed through their conversation in the various meetings. Bruno breaks the confines of his family rules of not visiting the back garden just for the sake of friendship. The viewers also witness Bruno’s chances by sneaking food to his friend. At some point, he apologizes to Shmuel for denying that he offered him the cake. Lastly, Bruno’s decides to help Shmuel trace his father who has disappeared after a match.

Bruno’s mother is observed to oppose the dictatorial regime by expressing her anguish and dissatisfaction on the matter of anti-Semitism. She is heartbroken after discovering that the black smoke emanating from the camp chimneys is from the burning of Jewish corpses. She also confronts her husband after learning about his assignment in the camp, thus proving to viewers that she is not contended with the way that the current regime disregards the Jews.

The aspect of dictatorship is evident in the film. Characters such as Bruno’s father, who shows ultimate support to the current regime, demonstrate the feature. At times, he accuses the lieutenant of not demonstrating his loyalty to the political regime by not reporting to the relevant authorities the disappearance of his father to Switzerland. The viewers also witness the killing the Jew servant by the lieutenant illegitimately to prove his support for Semitism.

Racism is also a bad point as depicted in the different scenarios. The discrimination against the Jews is profound in this movie as evidenced by the rules prohibiting Bruno from engaging in friendship with Shmuel. The lieutenant also murders the servant simply because he is a Jew. The black smoke from the Jews’ burning corpses additionally proves how the political regime disregarded the life of the Jews.

The movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is historically accurate. First, it was set during the World War II period from 1939 to 1945. The movie is relevant because it underscores the infamous Holocaust, which happened under the watch of Adolf Hitler’s tyrannical regime in the Nazi Germany. During this period, around six million Jews were murdered. The extermination camps as the one demonstrated in the movie were used in the systematic murder of the Jews.

The predominant ways of terminating life included gassing whereby the Jew inmates in the camps were packed in gas chambers, and then Carbon Monoxide or Zyklon B was used to suffocate them to death. The Jews were also killed by subjection to strenuous work under severe hunger conditions. The movie is historically correct due to the presence of death camps located beside Bruno’s home. The evidence provided by Bruno’s effort to sneak food to Shmuel and his vivid eyewitness of weak and malnourished Jews paints a picture of the situation during the Jews’ condition in the Nazi Germany.

The movie is also historically accurate because it portrays the element of dictatorship that characterized Adolf Halter’s political regime. The tutor employed to educate Bruno and his sister Gretel demonstrates the dictatorship. The tutor often campaigns for nationalist propaganda, which is a key element in a despotic regime. Gretel gradually develops an overwhelming support for Third Reich, which was the historical period between 1933 and 1945 when Hitler’s dictatorship was evident. Gretel even decides to cover her bedroom with posters encompassing the Nazi propaganda, thus painting a full picture of how the dictatorial government controlled all the aspects of the people’s lifestyles.

The movie also portrays its historical accuracy due to its vivid description of significant instances of anti-Semitism. This term underscores hatred, non-preference, and discrimination against the Jews based on their ethnicity, religious, or racial affiliation (Goldstein 28). During the Holocaust in the World War II, the Nazi regime discriminated the Jews leading to their death. This historical occurrence stands out clearly in the movie given the way Jews are treated. Additionally, the prejudice is evident after the lieutenant terminates the life of the Jew servant illegitimately so that he can demonstrate his allegiance and loyalty to the ruling regime.

Movies have different themes that they ultimately aim to communicate to the viewers. Most information may be historical while other films concentrate on the emerging issues around the globe. The movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, gives the audience a clear image of what conspired during the World War II in the Nazi Germany. Some of the themes that have been evident include the Nazi propaganda, the dictatorship under Adolf Hitler, and anti-Semitism. The movie is historically accurateness because its themes and occurrences coincide with those of the Second World War from which it derives its setting.

Goldstein, Phyllis. A Convenient Hatred: The History of Antisemitism , Brookline: Facing History and Ourselves, 2011. Print.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas . Dir. Mark Herman. New York: Miramax Home Entertainment. 2009. Film.

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IvyPanda. (2020, May 14). "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas/

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." IvyPanda , 14 May 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas/.

IvyPanda . (2020) '"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"'. 14 May.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." May 14, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." May 14, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." May 14, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas/.

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the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

REVIEW: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”

PJsPOSTER

Obviously there have been several powerful films that have dealt directly with the Holocaust. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is a unique look at this murderous and genocidal scar on world history. It’s based on John Boyne’s 2006 novel of the same name and looks at the subject through the eyes of an 8-year-old boy. It’s a tender but crushing tale of the loss of innocence as we watch this young boy discover the truth about the world around him. Some critics have said it exploits or trivializes the Holocaust with others going as far as to call it offensive. I found it to be a careful yet devastating drama that ultimately succeeds in the end.

Asa Butterfield, better known for his more recent starring role in “Hugo”, plays Bruno. His father Ralf (David Thewlis) is a Nazi SS officer who gets a new assignment requiring him to move with his family from Berlin to the countryside. Bruno’s mother Elsa (Vera Farmiga) supports her husband’s decision. But Bruno finds himself alone and missing his friends back in Berlin. His loneliness and boredom spurs his curiosity and he begins noticing several interesting things about his new location. One is a mysterious “farm” in the distance that he sees from his bedroom window but is forbidden to visit or ask about. He’s also intrigued by a house servant who he notices is wearing what looks like striped pajamas. Of course we know the servant is Jewish and a captive, but through young Bruno’s eyes things are more confusing.

PJ1

One of the most engaging things about the movie is that writer and director Mark Herman is able to keep us inside of Bruno’s head even though we know exactly what’s going on outside of his knowledge. I found the film to be very effective at conveying the feeling of discovery as Bruno learns more. Perhaps his biggest lessons come not from his twice-a-week tutor who bombards him with all sorts of Nazi propaganda and revisionist history, but from a young Jewish boy. Bruno encounters the boy after sneaking away from his house and stumbling across the “farm”. Of course it’s actually a Nazi execution camp and the boy, named Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), sits on the other side of an electrified fence. The two quickly develop a friendship. It is Shmuel who begins to shed light on what this “farm” really is and causes Bruno to question both his father and his cause.

The movie never loses sight of the fact that Bruno is only 8-years-old. He struggles with what he’s seeing and his attempts to reconcile certain things with his desire to see his father as a good man is heartbreaking. Even when his mother finds out why they’ve moved to the country and furiously confronts Ralf, we still witness these things through Bruno’s child-like reasoning. But there is an emotional balance. While we spend most of our time with Bruno, we know of the atrocities that are taking place almost entirely off-screen. Yet these atrocities are relayed to us very well in often subtle ways.

PJ2

The performances throughout the film are fantastic. Farmiga is one Hollywood’s better actresses and she shows that here. I also appreciated Thewlis’ portrayal of a man who often times puts his role of father in complete subjection to his duties as a Nazi soldier. But it’s young Butterfield who gets the vast majority of the screen time and he is quite good. He draws a lot of sympathy and emotion  and it’s always great to see a young actor able to pull that off. I also enjoyed his scenes with young Scanlon. While Butterfield is better in their scenes, they both handle the material nicely.

I can see where “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” may put off some people. It’s hard to watch especially as everything comes to a head at the end of the film. In fact, it’s a movie I’m in no rush to see again. That isn’t due to any major shortcomings with the picture. It’s due to the film’s intense emotional punch that stuck with me for several days. I was incredibly moved and while there are some legitimate questions that could be asked about the story, the movie’s main point resonated with me. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” asks several powerful questions about war, family, and morality. It also gives us a glimpse into a part of our world’s history that is still hard to look at but should be reckoned with.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

4-stars

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6 thoughts on “ review: “the boy in the striped pajamas” ”.

Great review, Keith! I never saw this film, but I’ve heard the title from time to time and always wondered what it was about. Sounds compelling. I’m definitely interested in seeing this film now. I would also be interested to see Butterfield in another role after seeing Hugo.

Thanks a lot! It’s certainly worth seeing. I had it on my watch list but have been putting it off. REALLY glad I made time for it.

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REALLY great movie! (The novel’s really good, too.)

I’ve heard the novel is good but I haven’t read it.

I read the novel as a kid. Real gut-punch. Saw the movie in the last year or so.

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — The Boy in The Striped Pajamas — A Review Of The Book The Boy In Striped Pajamas

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A Review of The Book The Boy in Striped Pajamas

  • Categories: Book Review The Boy in The Striped Pajamas

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Words: 708 |

Published: Aug 6, 2021

Words: 708 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Works Cited

  • Boyne, J. (2006). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. David Fickling Books.
  • Gavron, J., & Boyne, J. (2008). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: A fable. Film adaptation. Miramax Films.
  • Hedges, C. (2006). Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/17/books/review/Hedges.t.html
  • Kadar, M. (2013). "Out-With," History, and Holocaust in John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 38(2), 176-198.
  • Kustanowitz, E. (2008). Inventing the Other: Post-Holocaust Jewish Identity in Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Studies in Jewish American Literature, 27(1), 87-98.
  • Lacayo, R. (2006). Out of the Past. Time. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20121020155433/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1537536,00.html
  • Marks, D. (2009). The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Fantasy? Irony? Reality? Journal of Holocaust Education, 18(1), 41-60.
  • Reuter, A. (2008). Visualizing the Holocaust: Intermedial Encounters in John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. In S. Onega & J. Garcia Landa (Eds.), Visual Aids in Fiction: An Introduction (pp. 95-116). De Gruyter.
  • Sherman, J. (2007). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Children's Experiences of Auschwitz in Children's Fiction. Journal of Children's Literature Studies, 4(2), 71-93.
  • Zipes, J. (2011). Fairy Tales and Fables: From Origins and Poetics to Reception. Routledge.

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the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

the boy in the striped pajamas movie review essay

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Everything you need for every book you read..

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Striped Pajamas: Introduction

Striped pajamas: plot summary, striped pajamas: detailed summary & analysis, striped pajamas: themes, striped pajamas: quotes, striped pajamas: characters, striped pajamas: symbols, striped pajamas: theme wheel, brief biography of john boyne.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas PDF

Historical Context of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Other books related to the boy in the striped pajamas.

  • Full Title: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
  • When Written: April, 2004
  • Where Written: Dublin, Ireland
  • When Published: 2006
  • Literary Period: Contemporary Young Adult
  • Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction
  • Setting: Berlin, Germany and Auschwitz, Poland
  • Climax: When Bruno, who seeks to understand the world on the other side of the fence in which his friend Shmuel lives, changes into a pair of the “striped pajamas” and climbs under the fence.
  • Antagonist: Bruno’s Father
  • Point of View: Third person omniscient, mostly from the perspective of Bruno, a nine-year-old boy.

Extra Credit for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Quick work. Boyne wrote the first draft of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas in two and a half days, hardly sleeping until he finished.

Film. The novel became a movie in 2008 under the same name, directed by Mark Herman.

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Review

Updated 22 July 2022

Subject Movies

Downloads 47

Category Entertainment

Topic Movie Review ,  Movie Summary ,  The Boy in The Striped Pajamas

In this "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" review, I'll talk about Vera Farmiga's performance and the film's logic, both before and after the ending. But before I get to those points, let me give you a quick overview of the film. It is hard to explain in words what makes this movie such a classic, but it's certainly worth watching at least once.

Mark Herman's "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a 2008 historical drama film. It was first released as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in North America. The film is based on a 2006 novel by John Boyne. The story follows a young boy who survives the horrors of a Nazi extermination camp. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2008.

The Plot Revolves Around Bruno

The plot revolves around Bruno, a Jewish eight-year-old boy who arrives at Auschwitz, a concentration camp in Nazi Germany, in 1934. Bruno's father tells him to put the country's benefit ahead of his family. In response to this, Bruno is forced to live in an obnoxious boarding house, Out-With. It is a very lonely boarding house, and Bruno is not allowed to leave it or go anywhere outside of it.

Vera Farmiga's Performance

Vera Farmiga's sultry performance in "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" has earned praise from critics and audiences alike. This dramatic drama, based on the John Boyne novel, portrays a young boy's relationship with a Jewish inmate in a concentration camp. Despite the oversimplification of the historical events, the film is still a moving drama.

Vera Farmiga's Contribution to the Film

After being discovered in 1998 by director James Wan, Vera Farmiga has been consistently a force in film. After starring in Oscar-winning films like Running Scared and The Departed, Farmiga has continued to produce and star in movies. Currently, she is set to star in two high-profile dramas this fall: "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and "Nothing But the Truth."

The sultry Vera Farmiga's performance as Bruno's mother, Helena, is especially moving. Her deteriorating mental state is a compelling contrast to her love for her husband, and the two deliver a few tear-jerking scenes. Vera Farmiga and Catherine Beattie are not the only actors to stand out in the film. Rupert Friend and David Hayman also have prominent roles.

Vera Farmiga's Performance in "Up in the Air"

The film's unexpected character reveal in "Up in the Air" earns the actress an Academy Award nomination. The film was released in 2008, just before the world's economy started to collapse. It is a timely story as it featured a massive exercise of workforce shedding among thousands of employers. Vera Farmiga's performance in the film contributes to the film's human-ness.

The Logic of Events Leading Up to the End

Despite the clumsy ending, the film is a fascinating study in the power of storytelling. Although the novelists' intent was to shock, the film ends up being a believable family drama. The children belong to an unconventional family: one has a high-ranking Nazi father and the other is the son of a Jewish commandant. Despite this disparity, the children's personalities and circumstances are similar to their own.

Education About the Holocaust

While some educators argue that 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' can educate young readers about the Holocaust, they should remember that this is a fictional work and they cannot rely on it for factual information. Nevertheless, there are many nonfiction works about the Holocaust that are less problematic for young audiences. The film's strength lies in its realism and the portrayal of a boy's struggle to survive in horrific conditions.

An Emotionally Compelling Movie

Despite its realism and bleak realism, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is an emotionally compelling movie with a message that is worth remembering. The book, written by John Boyne, is a harrowing tale about life and death in a concentration camp. Mark Herman's film aims to portray the Holocaust as a grim, child-friendly fable. As such, the film aims to be both a moralizing and educational tool.

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  1. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas movie review (2008)

    Lots of fun. Bruno doesn't want to leave his playmates and his much-loved home. His grandma ( Sheila Hancock) doesn't approve of the move either. There seems to be a lot she doesn't approve of, but children are made uneasy by family tension and try to evade it. There's a big house in the country, surrounded by high walls.

  2. The Boy in The Striped Pajamas: Movie Review and Critique

    Table of contents The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: summary and analysis A young, fun-loving 8-year-old boy lives his days to the fullest in the city of Berlin, Germany where his family resides in the 1940s. This all changes when his father is promoted to commandant of the German Nazi army.

  3. A Movie Evaluation of 'The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas'

    Published: Apr 17, 2023. Movie evaluation essays often analyze the portrayal of historical events and characters, such as the Holocaust and its impact on individuals, as depicted in Mark Herman's 2008 film, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. In the film, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, directed by Mark Herman, viewers analyze this film as a good ...

  4. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Movie Review

    Parents need to know that this intense World War II-set drama follows a young boy whose father, a German officer, has moved the entire family close to his new assignment -- running a death camp dedicated to the mass extermination and murder of Jewish prisoners. The boy befriends a prisoner on the other side of the… Videos and Photos

  5. The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas movie review

    Shmuel replies "no sir. He gave it to me; He's my friend." referring to Bruno. However, after the Lieutenant questions the validity of Shmuel's statement, Bruno completely denies ever knowing Shmuel.

  6. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

    Enter 8-year-old Bruno, an inventive young German who loves to read adventure books and investigate whatever is outside. When we meet him in the early 1940s, his father, Ralf, a high-ranking military officer, has just accepted an important position within the Nazi war effort.

  7. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) Review

    2008 holocaust drama 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' from director Mark Herman and starring Asa Butterfield, is "devastating". Full review by Bethen Blackabee. Mark Herman's memorable 2008 holocaust drama 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' is a movie with a "hard-hitting and emotional narrative", "a deserved classic for future cinephiles".

  8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Critical Essays

    What makes The Boy in the Striped Pajamas so effective is that rather than examining the big picture of the Holocaust and its atrocities, the novel instead focuses on individual relationships...

  9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

    Audience Reviews for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Feb 28, 2013 The negative criticism of this film seems to be because a) for a children's film the denouement is far too horrific and b) the film ...

  10. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

    Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences. Director Mark Herman Writers John Boyne Mark Herman Stars Asa Butterfield David Thewlis Rupert Friend

  11. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

    The movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is historically accurate. First, it was set during the World War II period from 1939 to 1945. The movie is relevant because it underscores the infamous Holocaust, which happened under the watch of Adolf Hitler's tyrannical regime in the Nazi Germany.

  12. REVIEW: "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

    REVIEW: "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". March 15, 2012 by Keith Garlington. 6. Obviously there have been several powerful films that have dealt directly with the Holocaust. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is a unique look at this murderous and genocidal scar on world history. It's based on John Boyne's 2006 novel of the same name ...

  13. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Exploring The Theme of Innocence

    John Boyle's fictional novel, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," unfolds a poignant narrative of an unlikely friendship between the son of a Nazi commandant and a Jewish boy in the midst of the largest concentration camp.

  14. The Boy In The Striped Pajamas Movie Review Essay

    Good Essays Preview Analysis Of The Boy In The Striped Pajamas that stands out the most is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Made in 2008, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is a Holocaust movie filmed from the frame of reference of an eight-year-old boy.

  15. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)

    The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (released as The Boy in the Striped Pajamas in North America) is a 2008 historical drama film written and directed by Mark Herman.It is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by John Boyne.Set in Nazi-occupied Poland, the film follows the son of an SS officer who befriends a Holocaust prisoner of his age. It was released in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2008.

  16. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Mini Essays

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Mini Essays | SparkNotes PLUS The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Study Guide John Boyne Study Guide Flashcards Father Gretel Literary Devices Themes Motifs Symbols Other Literary Devices Questions & Answers What do Bruno and Shmuel have in common? Why does Bruno deny knowing Shmuel? What happens to Bruno in the end?

  17. A Review of The Book The Boy in Striped Pajamas

    The Boy In The Striped Pajamas: Movie Review and Critique Essay A young, fun-loving 8-year-old boy lives his days to the fullest in the city of Berlin, Germany where his family resides in the 1940s. This all changes when his father is promoted to commandant of the German Nazi army.

  18. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Study Guide

    Summary & Analysis Themes Quotes Characters Symbols Theme Viz Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Striped Pajamas makes teaching easy. Everything you need for every book you read. "Sooo much more helpful than SparkNotes. The way the content is organized and presented is seamlessly smooth, innovative, and comprehensive." Get LitCharts A +

  19. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Study Guide

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is Irish novelist John Boyne 's Holocaust novel about the unlikely friendship that forms between the son of a Nazi commandant and a young Jewish prisoner at Auschwitz. It was published in 2006 with the title The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas.

  20. The Boy In Striped Pyjamas Movie Review Free Essay Example

    4.7 (346) " This writer never make an mistake for me always deliver long before due date. Am telling you man this writer is absolutely the best. " + 84 relevant experts are online Hire writer Arriving in Poland, they move into a spacious house not too far away from what Bruno thought was a farm.

  21. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Review

    The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a 2008 historical drama film. It was first released as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in North America. The film is based on a 2006 novel by John Boyne. The story follows a young boy who survives the horrors of a Nazi extermination camp. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2008.

  22. The Boy In Striped Pajamas Movie Analysis Free Essay Example

    In the beginning of the movie it shows Bruno running and intimidating an airplane, it also shows some German officers taking away Jews and forcing them into a carrier. Bruno is moving to a new home that is close to a concentration camp. Bruno's father is commandant who was promoted and is overseeing the concentration camp in the countryside.

  23. The boy in the striped pajamas movie review Free Essays

    Sociological Movie Review The movie that I watched that has many references to our introduction to sociology course is The Boy In the Striped Pajamas.The Boy In the Striped Pajamas is about a little 8 year old boy named Bruno who must move to the country side with his family because his father who is a General in the Nazi military becomes assigned command of a Jewish concentration camp.