The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Review
By David Kempler
Pajamas as Innocence
The glut of movies in regards to the Holocaust is enormous. Because it is among man's greatest atrocities and it occurred in a time when its aftermath could be recounted in newsreels, books, diaries, etc., it is probably our greatest self-examination of man's inhumanity to man. Among the many films shot on the topic, a few have emerged as classics of the cinema: "The Pawnbroker", "Sophie's Choice", "Schindler's List" and "Shoah" (to name just a few).
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is to me an instant classic, partially because of how well it is done but primarily because it examines the events through an extremely unique perspective; through the eyes of a young German boy who was not Jewish. The story is wholly original and it is utterly gripping from the first frame to the devastating moment when the credits roll. The packed theater remained hushed as the credits scrolled down the screen. Many were sniffling, some were openly sobbing. No one was talking. The stroll down the hallways, past those waiting to see the next show was mostly silent, with whispers drifting past every few seconds.
The story opens in Berlin, during World War II. Young German boys are playing in the street and life is happy and carefree. There is one very quick scene that diverts us away from the idyllic surroundings momentarily but then it is back to the "good" life. Young Bruno (Asa Butterfield) is the son of a recently promoted Nazi military man (David Thewlis) and an attractive, smiling mother (Vera Farmiga). His sister is twelve and she is far more aware of the reality of their immediate world than Bruno. At eight, his main concerns revolve around reading adventure stories. The reality of current events is not even on his radar.
Because of his father's promotion, the family is relocated into a beautiful country setting where his father can take command of a new post. We soon learn that his new job is as a commandant of a Concentration Camp but Bruno believes the people he sees in the distance are all living on a farm and he wishes to play with the children there. He is forbidden but his innate curiosity gets the better of him and he explores his new surroundings where he meets his young friend Schmuel (Jack Scanlon). Schmuel lives on the other side of the barbed wire fence and Bruno envies that Schmuel has so many kids his age to play with, without understanding what he is really seeing.
As the evil that surrounds him is slowly revealed to him, Bruno cannot digest it all. He knows that something is terribly wrong but he can't come to grips with how he should deal with it. The path he unwittingly chooses is both a marvel of childhood innocence combined with a profound sense of impending tragedy. As the final minutes of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" unfolds, you can't help but feel a mass of emotions stirring within you. It would be impossible to not be sucked into what you are watching. The power of the last fifteen minutes is why film is my favorite medium of creativity. I cannot guarantee that this will be among the greatest cinema moments you have ever sat through but I can ensure you that to sit there and not be overwhelmingly overcome with rushes of emotion means that at least a part of your insides has already died.
