THE BOOK THIEF

The Book Thief is one of my all time favourite books, and when I heard that it was being turned into a film I was apprehensive - how could it work? Could cinema truly capture the soul and heart of Markus Zusak's bestselling novel?

I first watched The Book Thief last year at a press screening, with a friend who had also read and enjoyed the book. Both of us absolutely loved the film, which is why I went to another screening a week ago. This time I went with two different friends who had also read the book and one who had not. Again, we all loved it and left the cinema emotionally moved and singing the film's praises.

You might ask why I am starting my review with these seemingly mundane details, but the reason is simple; I have seen too many negative reviews of this film. Each one has referenced how it is an adaptation of Zusak's brilliant book but I am lead to believe that not a single one of those critics had read Zusak's brilliant book, because as far as adaptations go The Book Thief is faultless.

Criticism has been thrown at the film for not depicting the war enough, for the image of war being too white-washed, how the story doesn't seem dramatic enough. Well, that is the crux of Zusak's novel; it is the  telling of World War II when following a young German girl called Liesel (Sophie Nelisse). The story is not and has not ever been about war, it is all about Liesel. So if you were going into this film, or the book, with the expectation seeing emaciated bodies in Nazi-driven concentration camps then I'm afraid your expectations will not be met and you can stop reading now. Instead, The Book Thief is a heartwarming and charming story of one girls experiences throughout the war whilst living with foster parents in a small German town.

Now that I have got that out of the way, read on for my five star review.

The Book Thief is narrated by Death (Roger Allam) himself and follows Liesel, a young girl who is sent to live with a foster family during World War II. Liesel finds solace from the brutal reality of war by indulging in stolen books and sharing them with others. However, when Max (Ben Schnetzer), a Jew, comes to Liesel's foster family for sanctuary and protection, Liesel's life changes forever.

Markus Zusak's story is innovative and inspiring and has beautifully re-created by director Brian Percival for the big screen. The aesthetics alone are hauntingly beautiful; a snow-covered, war-torn German village that perfectly encompasses the scenery described by Zusak in the book. The perfectly cast characters allow the audience to immerse themselves fully into the story of Liesel's life and root for her the entire way.


Aged just 13 years old in their feature debut, Sophie Nelisse and Nico Liersch, who plays Liesel's best friend Rudy, are outstanding as the protagonists. Nelisse plays the complex character of a feisty yet heartbroken girl who has lost everything in the war and she leads the film with a charm and charisma that is second-to-none. Her relationship with Max, the hidden Jew, is perhaps the most important element of the story and she plays it with such tender emotion it is impossible for your heart not to ache as she tries to bring the outside world to the confines of the basement where he is hiding.

Emily Watson also shines as Liesel's stern but devoted foster mother, Rose; perfectly portraying her character's many layers by maintaing a strict and brash exterior whilst keeping it clear that she loves both Liesel and her husband Hans more than anything. However, Hans is arguably the star of the show; played by the brilliant Geoffrey Rush he is perhaps one of the most beloved book characters of the last 10 years and Rush, with the help of Percival, somehow manages to add even more warmth and charm to his live-action counterpart in a flawless embodiment of the character. In particular, Hans relationship with Liesel is nothing short of heart-warming and will have you both laughing and crying throughout as you desperately will for nothing bad to happen to either of them.

In addition to the lovable characters and heart-breaking narrative, the most captivating aspect of The Book Thief comes from its narrator: Death. Prominent throughout the film in the form of an elusive voiceover, he offers great perspective as, in his own words, nobody served the Fuhrer as loyally as he during the war. Death's fascination with Liesel is the crux of the story and leads to his conclusion that after following Liesel's life so intimately he is in fact haunted by humans.

As mentioned before, the critics who have been slating the film make it obvious that they had not only failed to read the book but they also failed to research the story to know what they were going into. You do not need to read the book in order to enjoy the film, that is a fact. However, I would say that you need to know going in that this is not your typical war film, so if you are expecting brutality and disturbing shocks, you will be left disappointed.

In reality, when a best-selling book is adapted into a film it very rarely goes so right. The combination of a breathtaking cast, astounding direction and author Markus Zusak's incredible narrative, The Book Thief is the one to watch for 2014. Emotionally charged and beautifully told, it will capture your hearts within moments.

★★★★★

The Book Thief is in cinemas nationwide now!

An interview with the cast of The Book Thief.

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

THE MONUMENTS MEN

I was lucky enough to go along to the London premiere for The Monuments Men earlier this month. As a true story that I hadn't heard a single thing about prior to the film's trailer, I was incredibly excited to watch the film and find out more. However, I was a bit concerned - was it going to be just another boring war film reminiscent of history lessons of yesteryear? Well, fortunately not!

(Sidenote: in case you missed my previous post, the delay in getting these latest reviews up is down to technical issues!)

George Clooney directs and stars in this fascinating true-life story of a World War II platoon that gets given the task of rescuing stolen art, which has been taken from the Nazis. This is the ultimate hook of the story, and the fact that all of this actually happened makes the film impossible to dismiss. After all, who knew that in World War II seven brave men were assigned the specific task of rescuing the World's greatest masterpieces from the Nazis? These men risked, or in some cases gave, their lives in order to protect the work of Michelangelo, Picasso and various other artists great and small, which the Nazis were stealing for the Führermuseum that Hitler was planning to open once he won the war.

The cast at the London premiere

The fact that the plight of these heroes went unnoticed for so long is unforgivable, especially when you consider their three-year mission helped to recover an estimated five million pieces of art! Perhaps my sentiment towards these men has been heightened due to the special guest at the premiere; Clooney and co. welcomed the last surviving member of the Monuments Men to the stage, and seeing the real-life counterpart of the men depicted in the story was humbling as well as extraordinary.

The strong cast are the making of the film. George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and Hugh Bonneville are just a few of the talents who make up the Monuments Men, with Cate Blanchett also shining in a supporting role. What makes the cast so spot-on, and aids the film's delivery tremendously, is their chemistry. The men bounce off each other and seem to be genuine best friends; it is clear that they all had fun making the film and that high energy transfers through the screen to the audience, making the film enjoyable to watch.

Despite the sensitive wartime setting, the tone of the film is relatively light hearted and there is very little depiction of the real tragedy of war. The story is very much about the men, not about the war, and I have seen this as a point of criticism for others, although I will beg to differ. Referenced by some as merely 'Oceans 11 in WW2', mostly due to its light-hearted dialogues and, admittedly at times gratuitous, attempts at comedy. However, these one-liners and comedic jibes actually help diffuse the tension in what would otherwise have been a very serious and intense film. Clooney's decision to add an element of humour to the film is in fact a decision that I applaud as it avoids the film from being stuffy and 'just another war film', instead making it something that can appeal to people of all tastes and ages, whilst still achieving the overall mission to get the story of the brave young men told.

The real life Monuments Men

The humour also brings the reality of war closer to home as it makes the men much more relatable. They aren't just serious-faced men in khaki helmets and holding guns; the incessant bickering, brotherly camaraderie and light-hearted take on serious matters makes them seem much more like everyday people who you could meet walking down the street today. The time period becomes irrelevant and the men become modern.

My main criticism of the film comes through the unsurprising overriding theme of patriotism throughout. A few times I was suddenly jolted out of the story because the nauseating 'AMERICA IS AWESOME' notion became a little too ridiculous, and increasingly hard to swallow. When you consider the fact that the Monuments Men were not solely American soldiers it makes the film appear as though it has an ulterior motive - something that isn't exactly unique for an American wartime film, but still a bit tedious none the less. Despite these occasional blips, Clooney always manages to reign the story back  in - much to the film's benefit, - and once you take away the propaganda you are left with an enjoyable and surprisingly easy-viewing film.

So long as you don't go into the cinema expecting the movie equivalent of a high-school history lesson, there is nothing not to like about the film. The fact that it is such an incredible true story makes for an interesting watch and the cast's high-spirited energy and Clooney's take on the storytelling makes it easy to digest and holds your attention. Although stylistically it may not have the makings of a cinematic masterpiece, it is informative and entertaining. What more can you ask for than that?

★★★☆☆

The Monuments Men is in cinemas nationwide now!

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,