Tuesday, February 10, 2009

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS (2008)

“Lines may divide us, but hope will unite us.”
Have you seen the famous Airtel advertisement where two boys playing across the opposite sides of fencing border & spreading the idea of universal brotherhood. How about watching a movie on the same theme!! Well, this one is a perfectly matching example.

The film is a fictional story that offers a unique perspective that how prejudice, hatred, & violence effect the innocent people, particularly the children during wartime. Through the lens of 8 year old German boy largely shielded from the ugly reality of WW II. It’s witnessing the forbidden friendship between Bruno- the son of Nazi Officer & Schmuel- a Jewish held captive boy in concentration camp. Though the two are separated by barbed wire fence, their lives become emotionally connected. Well its unusual point of view to see War film from this angle but Director Mark Herman made this film with nice sensibilities.
The pace of the film is too slow & at certain point even it’s quite hard to make it moving further but though it’s made you feel the depth of child’s mind. It would have been better if movie had more scenes showing the bond between two boys. The movie has quite memorable performances by both the kids along with Marvelous piano background score by James Horner (‘Titanic’ fame), classic cinematography, superb production design & nice screenplay & direction by Mark Herman.
One of the finest & sensitively directed film of 2008.

Ratings-8/10

1 comment:

Anuraag Seshadri said...

i think the movie was quite well paced, i dint find it to be slow, the movie conveyed its message in 90 mins, and yes the background music by James Horner was wonderful..