Brian Percival's "The Book Thief", based on a novel by Markus Zusak,
is an poignant tale of a young girl's coming-of-age during World War II
in Germany. It stars Sophie Nelisse as Liesel, a girl who's widowed
mother, a communist, gives up her daughter for adoption by a couple in a
distant German town (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson). It is highly
emotional, visceral and sheds lights on the harrowing and tragic
circumstances faced by German citizens during the second World War.
Liesel, it turns out, is the book thief of the title. On her way to
her foster family, she swipes a book titled "The Gravedigger's
Handbook". This will her first of many books in a life-long love-affair
with the written word. Liesel will affect in a profound way everyone
she encounters in her new life. She soon meets a neighbouring boy named
Rudy (Nico Liersch) who's talent at running in foot-races lead him into
trouble when he decides to imitate his favourite athelete, black
American Olympic sprinter Jesse Owens. Liesel and Rudy strike up an
immediate bond that will sometimes get them into mischief and trouble.
Liesel adopted mother does laundry for various people in the town. One
of these patrons is a couple living in a mansion. When Liesel is
assigned to drop of laundry to them, she is invited into the house by
the woman to discover a vast library of a large collection of books.
Liesel is allowed to read here for a while but when the man of the
house discovers this, he puts an end to it. This forces Liesel to sneak
into the house and steal books from the library (she does, however,
return them).
I don't want to give away the ending of this
engrossing film. All I can say is that it packs an emotional wallop and
moves in unexpected directions. The performances are great especially
the lead, newcomer Nelisse. This is a good film and is essential
viewing for older children, young people, and adults alike.
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