The Book Thief

Name: The Book Thief
Genre: Drama, War
Released: November 8, 2013
Duration: 131 min
Rating: 53
Cast: Ben Schnetzer, Emily Watson, Geoffrey Rush, Hildegard Schroedter, Nico Liersch

2013

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 168 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 168 Ratings

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The Book Thief

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: November 8, 2013 | PG-13

Starring: Ben Schnetzer, Emily Watson, Geoffrey Rush, Hildegard Schroedter, Nico Liersch, Sophie Nélisse

Summary: While subjected to the horrors of WWII Germany, young Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Under the stairs in her home, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents.

Director: Brian Percival

Genre(s): Drama, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 131 min

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Richard Roeper

Nov 14, 2013

This is one of the best movies of the year, featuring one of the most perfect endings of any movie in recent memory. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Nov 7, 2013

Overall, it’s engaging and serves its young audience well — a rare Holocaust movie that doesn’t strain to become Oscar bait. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

Oct 4, 2013

The Book Thief has been brought to the screen with quiet effectiveness and scrupulous taste by director Brian Percival and writer Michael Petroni. Read full review

Stephen Farber

Nov 7, 2013

You may come away more impressed by the intentions than by the achievements. Read full review

Ty Burr

Nov 21, 2013

The film is unobjectionable, sentimental, and not a little dull. Read full review

Liam Lacey

Nov 7, 2013

Directed by Brian Percival, best known for his work on "Downton Abbey," the film has the similar quality of a well-appointed historical soap opera. Read full review

Stephen Holden

Nov 8, 2013

The Book Thief is a shameless piece of Oscar-seeking Holocaust kitsch. Read full review

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User Reviews

ZenFury

Feb 2, 2014

I was pleasantly surprised by this film. A keeper for sure because some of its messages will always be applicable. Don't let the meager earnings ($568,500) fool you or lousy overpaid critics.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

FSimmer

Nov 22, 2014

"A Menina Que Roubava Livros" é impressionante. Ótima fotografia, intérpretes impressionantes e uma história de arrepiar. Emocionante e muito bem feito, tiro o chapéu pra essa obra-prima.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FusionNFire

Jul 31, 2014

I had never read the book before and honestly, I wish I had. This film was beautiful from start to finish. The acting was incredible and the story was literally an emotional rollercoasters with constant ups and downs! This film showed that you do not need cgi to make a film worthI had never read the book before and honestly, I wish I had. This film was beautiful from start to finish. The acting was incredible and the story was literally an emotional rollercoasters with constant ups and downs! This film showed that you do not need cgi to make a film worth watching. If the story is good...which it was...and the acting is exceptional then naturally us as audience members will enjoy the ride. I highly recommend everyone of all ages to watch this masterpiece.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MovieGoer14

Mar 5, 2014

Not a perfect film, thus it is compelling and effective. The story of Lisel is one of the few that stay with you. Beautiful score & lovable characters. The whole story is bold & courageous.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

vikesh2206

Dec 9, 2014

Brian Percival's flimsy portrayal of the horrors of World War II is masterfully concealed by superb acting and a warm, touching tale of war visualized through the eyes of a child.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Gooduklady

Mar 16, 2014

I viewed The Book Thief with great anticipation at the beginning, but unfortunately my attention flagged halfway through. There was little new in the story line and I wasn't convinced by Emily Watson's performance as a harsh, Germanic foster mother with a heart of gold. The acting wasI viewed The Book Thief with great anticipation at the beginning, but unfortunately my attention flagged halfway through. There was little new in the story line and I wasn't convinced by Emily Watson's performance as a harsh, Germanic foster mother with a heart of gold. The acting was fair, in my opinion, and the film plodded along without any great surprises. There were no heart-stopping moments - nothing to make me laugh or cry - so I am sad to say that I felt this movie was just average and a waste of Geoffrey Rush's talents. I hated the insertion of German phrases with American accents. Either English or German - or sub-titles please. Everything seemed forced and formulaic. Nice try, but I wouldn't recommend it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AlexSoderlund

Jul 7, 2014

This movie is an embarrassing thing. First off, the title, "The Book Thief" doesn't even really apply to the movie at all. She steals books on 2 occasions but that's it. I don't even know what the story is. They're so many events going on and NONE OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT TO THE STORY LINEThis movie is an embarrassing thing. First off, the title, "The Book Thief" doesn't even really apply to the movie at all. She steals books on 2 occasions but that's it. I don't even know what the story is. They're so many events going on and NONE OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT TO THE STORY LINE WHATSOEVER. The book thievery happens in a 15 minute span of the whole 2 hour movie. As a historian, it pains me to view their feeble attempt to cover WW2. The chronology of the war is all screwed up. They had Germans still deporting Jews in 1942, which all deportation had been dealt with. Lezeil and Rudy's fathers had been drafted into the war. Let us take the time to note these two gentlemen are in their late 60s or 70s. Now men like this were drafted into the war, but later in the war like 1944/45. The drafting for these men happens in 41. The movie tries to give the viewer a notion of time passing, BUT ALL THE CHARACTERS LOOK AND ACT THE SAME AS THEY DID IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM. All in all this is a pitiful movie, with weak to no apparent story line, pathetic acting, and a time line that went to ****… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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