Review: The Book Thief

As a student of International Relations (what are the odds), German, and Modern History, The Book Thief was the best way for me to celebrate meeting my deadline and procrastinate finishing the essay due in this week (it definitely counts as research). The film adaptation of the best-selling novel by Markus Zusak opened last Friday, with its premiere audience consisting of a large group of elderly women on their night out and 2 IR students keen for a real tear-jerker; I can tell you we definitely got one. The Book Thief spans the whole of the 1930s and explores the rise of Nazi Germany through the eyes of Liesel Meminger. Liesel’s world is thrust into chaos when she joins a foster family on “Heaven Street” and painstakingly learns how to read just as Hitler increases censorship in Germany.

Despite both my friend and I leaving the cinema with tearstained cheeks, our thoughts on the movie were surprisingly different. It is indisputable that the performances of Geoffrey Rush (Hans) and newcomer Sophie Nélisse (Liesel) were impeccable. They excelled at portraying complex characters in a period of continuous emotional ups and downs. The familial love and chemistry between them felt both relatable and surreal.  The dynamic between the cold-hearted “witch” Rosa (played by Emily Watson) and her accordion playing husband Hans is incredibly endearing and they truly grow on you through the course of the film. There is also no doubt that we instantly fell in love with Nico Liersch’s character Rudy, an 11-year-old boy with an innocent heart and irresistible charm (not in a weird way…well kind of in a weird way).

However, like most film adaptations, The Book Thief could not live up to the standards set by the novel. The cinematography was doubtlessly artistic, perhaps to the point of being a little garish, but the director filled the film with scenes designed to make an aesthetic point rather than adding to the audience’s understanding of the plot. While on one hand the lack of a detailed explanation of the plot reflects Liesel’s – and the modern world’s- fascination with the mystery of the Nazi period, it also takes away from the more realistic approach conveyed in the novel. The film relied too heavily on the sensitive time period to score emotional points from the audience and so it unfortunately only skimmed the surface of its potential to explore such a complex time period.

Without giving anything away, the ending was pointlessly melodramatic and incredibly underwhelming. Ultimately the experience ended with my friend and I walking down North Street feeling wholly unfulfilled, despite our initial excitement.

Images courtesy of 20th Century Fox and hollywood.com