First published in 2005, The Book Thief, by Australian author Markus Zusak, was released to universal critical acclaim, appearing on the New York Times Best Seller list for over 230 weeks. So the film adaption comes with a bit of anticipation from the books numerous fans, and while it is serviceable as book adaptions go, it doesn't really capture the imagination, or deliver the emotional heft of its counterpart.
Set in Nazi Germany, during the escalation of the Second World War, Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) is put for foster care, eventually coming to live with kindly couple Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa Huberman (Emily Watson). Initially unable to read, Liesel's eyes are soon opened up to the world of books, and the truth behind Hitler's regime, when the Huberman's take in and hide Jewish runaway Max (Ben Schnetzer). Already, this synopsis gives you the impression of an uplifting tale of hope blossoming in the face of oppression, but despite some stellar work from an impeccable cast, it fails to fully engae the audience. You never feel any emotional investment in the characters, and, considering the place and moment in time, you never get a good sense of danger, that you should fear for these characters. It does steer away from been overly saccharine for much of its runtime, leading to avery satisfying story overall, but every so often you get some engineered moment where it tries to force an emotional response from you. The narrative structure suffers from several jumps in time, with a very thin story thread tying together the events, making it feel episodic. One of the major parts of the book, the fact that it is narrated by the Angel of Death, is glossed over here, Roger Allman's lyrical voice over feeling tacked on. It is used so sparingly, that it could have been taken out altogether. Handled differently, it could have worked so much better, and added a welcome fantastical element to the story.
Not a bad word can be said about the cast here, who play their roles to perfection. In the title role, Nélisse proving herself to be an accomplished actress at the age of thirteen. She imbues Liesel with a believable child like innocence, handling carrying whole chinks of the film with ease, and her scenes with her friend and admirer Rudy (Nico Liersch) are the movie at its sweetest. Geoffrey Rush puts in his usual good work as the kindly father figure, proving the perfect counter balance to Emily Watson's stern matron. She plays Rosa with a strangely delightful hardness, and watching it slowly wash away, as we knew it was going to, is compelling. Max doesn't get much to do as a character other than the usual inspirational cliches, and Schnetzer doesn't make much of an impact. The one moment where the character has a chance to shine, when he finally gets out of the Huberman's basement during an air raid, is sadly cut short.
Not a major misstep in terms of book to film adaptions, The Book Thief, despite a great cast, is sadly underwhelming, lacking the courage to really let loose with its subject matter.
Set in Nazi Germany, during the escalation of the Second World War, Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) is put for foster care, eventually coming to live with kindly couple Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa Huberman (Emily Watson). Initially unable to read, Liesel's eyes are soon opened up to the world of books, and the truth behind Hitler's regime, when the Huberman's take in and hide Jewish runaway Max (Ben Schnetzer). Already, this synopsis gives you the impression of an uplifting tale of hope blossoming in the face of oppression, but despite some stellar work from an impeccable cast, it fails to fully engae the audience. You never feel any emotional investment in the characters, and, considering the place and moment in time, you never get a good sense of danger, that you should fear for these characters. It does steer away from been overly saccharine for much of its runtime, leading to avery satisfying story overall, but every so often you get some engineered moment where it tries to force an emotional response from you. The narrative structure suffers from several jumps in time, with a very thin story thread tying together the events, making it feel episodic. One of the major parts of the book, the fact that it is narrated by the Angel of Death, is glossed over here, Roger Allman's lyrical voice over feeling tacked on. It is used so sparingly, that it could have been taken out altogether. Handled differently, it could have worked so much better, and added a welcome fantastical element to the story.
Not a bad word can be said about the cast here, who play their roles to perfection. In the title role, Nélisse proving herself to be an accomplished actress at the age of thirteen. She imbues Liesel with a believable child like innocence, handling carrying whole chinks of the film with ease, and her scenes with her friend and admirer Rudy (Nico Liersch) are the movie at its sweetest. Geoffrey Rush puts in his usual good work as the kindly father figure, proving the perfect counter balance to Emily Watson's stern matron. She plays Rosa with a strangely delightful hardness, and watching it slowly wash away, as we knew it was going to, is compelling. Max doesn't get much to do as a character other than the usual inspirational cliches, and Schnetzer doesn't make much of an impact. The one moment where the character has a chance to shine, when he finally gets out of the Huberman's basement during an air raid, is sadly cut short.
Not a major misstep in terms of book to film adaptions, The Book Thief, despite a great cast, is sadly underwhelming, lacking the courage to really let loose with its subject matter.
