The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ***1/2

Seen on DVD.
Directed by Mark Herman.
Based on novel written by John Boyne. 
Screenplay by Mark Herman.
With Asa Butterfield, Jack Scanlon, Zac Matoon O'Brian, Domonkos Nemeth, Henry Kingsmill, Vera Farmiga, Cara Horgan, Zsuzsa Hoil, Amber Beattie, Lazlo Aron, David Thewlis.
Released in 2008.

I have often bemoaned the fact that media for children should have a different rating scale as it is almost impossible for any book or film to have the subtlty, nuance or profundity that an adult work has.  Here is a case in which my theory is proven wrong.  This is one powerful movie.  I feel that it transcends the childrens' film genre.  Of course it should be said that this is hardly a kids film.  You don't want to set your 8 year old in front of the Tv and let him/her alone.  It would either bore them becasue of the complexity or scare the dickens out of them.  The only thing about this film that slightly resembles a typical kids' movie is that it is told from the point of view of an 8 year old.

Why do I like this film?  Just becasue it is so hard hitting.  The childrens' part are very believeable and there are lots of small, subtle moments in the film.

A German boy, Bruno, is taken to the country during WW II so that his soldier dad can take over his duties at his new assignment.  That of commandant at a concentration camp.  Bruno discovers, unwittingly, the camp and attempts to make friends with a Jewish boy on the other side of the fence.  Both boys are especailly good at portraying their innocence, but the boy in the camp is especailly good at portraying a mix of  innocence and hopefullness, while also demonstrating a wary, traumatized persona.  The two boys just don't understand, even the Jewish boy who has gone through scads of trauma doesn't understand the enormity of the situation.  I'll skip the ending, but I'll just say that it's gut wrenchiung tragic.  The hope is that the adults have learned a heavy and hard lesson.

And I think the mother does.  When she first moves into their new abode, she is wary of the Jews.  She saw no problem in the idea of the camps, though she didn't want it in her backyard.  When one of the Jewish servants helps Bruno with a cut on the knee, she reluctantly thanks him and reluctantly becomes a little more human.  She is very upset when she finds out the true mission of the camp and she and her husband have a serious argument over it.  I guess it was ok to imprison the Jews, but not to massacre them.

A strongly reccomended film!

Here's a trailer...