Film review "The Book Thief"

Terrill 2022-03-20 09:01:40

Liesel, a 9-year-old girl, is the protagonist of the film. Her father was branded a communist and taken away by the Nazis; her mother subsequently disappeared. She was sent to a foster home, where she met her first book, and with the help of many people, she read book after book and eventually became a wise man. Since then, books have become her greatest comfort.

In the context of war, the rhythm and picture of the film are very special. Large tracts of white snow, gray-blue sky, black night without a trace of light, a boy with blond hair running, a book with a dark red cover flowing down the stream, and the eyes of the Jews filled with stars. This color is too clean, and the people of Paradise Street live in peace like this.

How could people's lives be peaceful at such a specific point in time as World War II? This is one of the shortcomings of this film. The excessive force of tranquility wiped away the pain and anxiety brought by the war. People hiding in the air raid shelters can be immersed in the music in an instant. The parting and worry brought by the conscription can only be one minute, the father's departure and survival. The return can be just a few shots. If the hardships of life and the misery of war cease to exist, then no matter how peaceful the life is, it will be unimpressive.

Furthermore, as a film adapted from a book, it is really not a success. The original work expresses the comfort and power brought by books, and the story revolves around "books". The clues of the movie are very confusing, and it spends a lot of time showing the process of the Hans family rescuing Max (Jew), and at the end, there is an inexplicable death, and the book is reduced to a supporting role.

But from another point of view, the better side of this movie is the warmth of people. Every character comes alive, especially Mom. She, who had always complained loudly from the beginning, chose to support Hans after Max's arrival, taking care of him carefully, even though this decision might destroy the home she had worked so hard to build for decades. Warmth and softness crept out of the armored housewife, who even indulged Liesel's playfulness by having a snowball fight with them in the basement. In the end, Hans joined the army, and before he left, he said to Liesel, "Take care of your mother." Because he knew that her mother's softness and worry, her hardness and inhumanity were the pain and gift that life gave her.

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Extended Reading
  • Kelsie 2022-04-24 07:01:05

    The rhythm is a bit chaotic, the theme is not clear, but the girl's beautiful big eyes and cute German accent can't stand it. The costumes in the movie are amazing. Uniforms, small flowers, lace can be seen everywhere, and there is a grinder on the wall. , always inadvertently remind you of the beauty of life. Favorite line is: If your eyes could talk, what would they say?

  • Tyrese 2021-11-27 08:01:17

    "I must say it!.." "Don't say anything!" "I lov...." "Rudy?! Rudy! Get up and kiss me!".. Here my tears completely broke my bank I feel that the movie is great, I am very touched, and I can especially appreciate the feeling of being sad and helpless when I don’t know when to meet my relatives.

The Book Thief quotes

  • Liesel Meminger: There once was a ghost of a boy who liked to live in the shadows, so he wouldn't frighten people. His job was to wait for his sister, who was still alive. She wasn't afraid of the dark, because she knew that's where her brother was. At night, when darkness came to her room, she would tell her brother about the day. She would remind him how the sun felt on his skin, and what the air felt like to breathe, or how snow felt on his tongue. And that reminded her that she was still alive.

  • Narrator: [Narrator/Death] The only truth that I truly know is that I am haunted by humans.