The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Name: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Genre: Drama, Thriller, War
Released: November 7, 2008
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis

2008

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 167 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 167 Ratings

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The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: November 7, 2008 | PG-13

Starring: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis

Summary: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a powerful fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime. Through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II, we witness a forbidden friendship that forms betweenThe Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a powerful fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime. Through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II, we witness a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of Nazi commandant, and Shmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed wire fence, their lives become inescapably intertwined. The imagined story of Bruno and Shmuel sheds light on the brutality, senselessness and devastating consequences of war from an unusual point of view. Together, their tragic journey helps recall the millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust. (Miramax Films)… Expand

Director: Mark Herman

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 94 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Peter Rainer

And yet the great conundrum of the Holocaust is that it was perpetrated by human beings, not monsters. Few movies have rendered this puzzle so powerfully. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

Even though it unfolds almost entirely through a child's eyes, and contains no onscreen violence, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas packs as devastating a punch as an adult-oriented drama about the subject. Its concluding five minutes are almost impossible to watch. Read full review

Ray Bennett

Boyne's tale is starkly cautionary, and writer-director Herman handles a difficult topic with great sensitivity, drawing splendid performances from his young actors with David Thewlis and Vera Farmiga and the other grown-ups reliably efficient. Read full review

Sheri Linden

The film's two levels -- metaphoric and nitty-gritty -- don't mesh until the devastation of the closing sequence, which both indulges in and transcends melodrama. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

The film succeeds to the degree that it does -- partially, but honorably and sometimes affectingly -- because it was made as well as it was. Read full review

Josh Rosenblatt

True artists will risk sacrificing audience goodwill for truth and sentimentality for cold historical reality, but Herman doesn't want your respect; he just wants your tears. Read full review

J.R. Jones

This might have had some potential as a German exercise in self-examination, but as a tony BBC Films production, with the actors all speaking British-accented English (including Jersey girl Farmiga), it reeks of self-righteousness. Read full review

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User Reviews

tolis947

Jun 16, 2012

This movie was simply amzing. The story was heartbreaking and teached many moral values such as that doing something bad will haunt you for the rest of your life. The cast was awesome, whith Butterfield playing his first ( and best ) role of his career. I really dont know what else to say,This movie was simply amzing. The story was heartbreaking and teached many moral values such as that doing something bad will haunt you for the rest of your life. The cast was awesome, whith Butterfield playing his first ( and best ) role of his career. I really dont know what else to say, simply a masterpiece that every teenager and adult should watch, whether he likes nazis or not.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

nahtan1244

Feb 27, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A Gripping and powerful movie. This films incredible acting has been overshadowed by it's overwhelming comments about historical accuracy which is such a shame. The boy in striped pajamas offers us a movie drama where the power of a young boy's feelings can over comes those who try to brain wash him into thinking jews are bad. Never have I been so moved by a movie before. This movie does not end happily so bring tissues if you tend to cry in movies. Asa butterfild does a fantastic job as the boy of a rich family who creates a bond with a Jewish boy who is in a Nazi concentration camp who also plays his role fabulously. Now don't get me wrong this movie has not been getting panned by critics and audiences alike butt 69% on rotten tomato's a 55 on metacritic come on guys really. Check this movie out but bring tissues it's fabulous.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

KaterynaMelnyk

Aug 15, 2017

The film "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is a historical period drama based on the novel of the same name by Irish writer John Boyne. The film was directed by Mark Herman. It stars Asa Butterfield as a young German boy Bruno, David Thewlis as Bruno's father, a high-ranking Nazi officer,The film "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is a historical period drama based on the novel of the same name by Irish writer John Boyne. The film was directed by Mark Herman. It stars Asa Butterfield as a young German boy Bruno, David Thewlis as Bruno's father, a high-ranking Nazi officer, Ralf and Jack Scanlon as Jewish boy. The film is set in Budapest during the Second World War. It is essentially about the Holocoust through the eyes of a 9-year-old boy. At first a young boy Bruno lives with his family in Berlin in Nazi Germany but then they have to relocate to the countryside home that is walled off from a "farm" in the far distance. In fact, this farm is a concentration camp and the Bruno's father is a commmandant of the camp. Bruno's mother is kept in the dark for a long time about her husband's murderous duties. One day, Bruno goes beyond the wall, eventually arriving at an electric barbed wire surrounding the camp. There he befriends a Jewish boy, Shmuel. But their friendship is fatal... I strongly recommend this unforgettable and poignant film, not only for pleasure but also for educational purposes. People and especially children should know the unspeakable truth about crucial historical events. Moreover, because of the little boy this film makes you feel the whole horror of that time and understand that we can not allow the same terrifying things to happen.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

rotku

Aug 31, 2011

I haven't read the book so i cannot compare the two however I found the film was an excellent look at the holocaust from the eyes of a child. For me the main let down in film was the ever so posh English accents on most of the cast in particular the "German" family and I think if the movieI haven't read the book so i cannot compare the two however I found the film was an excellent look at the holocaust from the eyes of a child. For me the main let down in film was the ever so posh English accents on most of the cast in particular the "German" family and I think if the movie had been filmed in German with English subtitles it could have become a classic.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

drlowdon

Feb 17, 2018

The eight year old son of a Nazi officer in charge of a WWII concentration camp strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Jewish boy of the same age being held captive in the camp.

A lot of criticism has been aimed at this movie for sanitizing and failing to convey the true horrors ofThe eight year old son of a Nazi officer in charge of a WWII concentration camp strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Jewish boy of the same age being held captive in the camp.

A lot of criticism has been aimed at this movie for sanitizing and failing to convey the true horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, and I can’t really argue with that. The movie is well made however (although I don’t understand why everyone talks in a middle class English accent!) with excellent performances from the two young friends could act as a good starting point for introducing the subject to younger people and promoting further discussion, which in my mind can only a good thing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

RyanLopez

Apr 15, 2011

This movie made me cry, it was just so damn sad, how bad those **** Nazis treated those poor, innocent Jews. I know that's what it was like in World War II, this movie made me cry over and over again

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

David

Nov 16, 2008

This film should not have been made. Although it's intentions were good, the end result was not good.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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97	#97 Most Discussed Movie of 2008
9	#9 Most Shared Movie of 2008