“The Book Thief” tells a fictional story that brims with history. Based on the book written by Marcus Zusak, the film is the story of a girl growing up with adopted parents in Nazi Germany. Up–and–coming Canadian starlet Sophie Nélisse plays the main character, Liesel, Academy Award–winning actor Geoffery Rush plays her adoptive “papa” and Emily Watson comes alive as Liesel’s strict, but secretly soft, adoptive mother.
Liesel remarkably finds solace during World War II by stealing books and sharing them with the hidden Jew in her family’s basement. Slowly, Max, the young man living in her basement, becomes an older brother figure to Liesel, encouraging her to appreciate the power of the written and spoken word. Her recitation of the books and poetic description of outdoor life keeps Max alive and ignites her desire to write. Throughout the movie, the pair unexpectedly transitions from kind strangers into a deeply bonded family unit.
Although the entire movie is narrated by the voice of Death and flooded with misfortune, there is an underlying tone of hope and appreciation of life. This optimism is apparent in the characters’ ability to laugh and tell stories even when huddled in bunkers during air bomb raids. The characters' love for one another is constantly shown through innocuous gestures such as papa referring to Liesel as “her majesty” or mama’s kind actions despite her harsh exterior. One can especially not help but find Nélisse especially endearing as Liesel; she carries the film through her indomitable spirit and her curious and soulful eyes.
“The Book Thief” illustrates the desire for humanity through the eyes of a caring and courageous teenage girl. Through the plot and the use of Death as the narrator, the film provokes the paradox of how life is simultaneously so ugly and so glorious.
Grade: A– Rating & runtime: PG–13, 131 min. See if you liked: “Life is Beautiful”
