The Holocaust - You know, for kids
99% of the stuff I bring to LiC is initiated by me and is filtered through my own interests and my own vision of what LiC should be. From time to time, a publicist will bring something to my attention and I’m happy to pass it along if it fits within the bounds of what I’m creating here.
I try to draw a clear line between openly advocating for something because I’m excited about it and simply passing along information I’ve been fed that may or may not be of interest to you. I’ll never chat up something that doesn’t pass a basic LiC smell test, but I’m happy to try and help a movie find an audience in my own small way if it seems suitable. The Boy In the Striped Pajamas is one of these films.
Ordinarily, when it comes to Holocaust movies, I run screaming in the other direction. It’s a subject that is just too emotionally loaded and the risk of easy pathos is too great. The risk is even higher when children are involved as they are in this film. However, despite my snarky headline, this one passes the test because it’s got David Thewlis (Naked) and Vera Farmiga (The Departed) in it. As a fan of both actors, anything they do tends to be worth a look in my opinion.
Written and directed by Mark Herman (Brassed Off) from the novel by John Boyne, The Boy In the Striped Pajamas tells the story of the friendship of two boys, one inside a concentration camp and the other the son of Nazi commandant. There are about a hundred different ways this could go horribly and miserably wrong, but if it’s handled just right it could be pretty powerful. There is nothing quite like the matter-of-fact sensibility of a child when it comes to looking at history made by adults.
I have to say I’m not a huge fan of the poster, but the trailer kind of grabbed me.
Whichever way it goes, we can all find out for ourselves when the film opens on November 7.
Filed under: Previews, Trailers
Tags: David Thewlis, Mark Herman, The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, Vera Farmiga
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I saw the trailer for this one a couple of days ago and couldn’t make up my mind if it looked good, bad, or Lifetime. The fact that Farmiga and Thewlis are in it gives me hope, though.
Me, I’m a sucker for Holocaust movies, though I have to be in the right mood. I remember I was in this funky mood a few years ago, before I became quite so movie obsessed, finally figured out I was in the mood for something dark and Holocausty, went to the arthouse theater to see what was playing, and happened into The Pianist about two minutes into the film knowing almost nothing about it. That’s what I’m talking about, right movie, right time, right mood. I love it when that happens.
If I didn’t know any better, with a few minor nudges, the trailer could’ve been a parody that ran before Tropic Thunder. Once it gets going you realize it’s honest, but there’s that moment of doubt…if you’re cynical old me anyway.
Farmiga and Thewlis were the deciding factors for me as well.
I know what you’re saying about stuff like The Pianist. My fear is that this kind of thing can feel exploitative. It’s such a button pushing subject, it’s almost too easy.
I’m reading the tea leaves here and… I think Craig is working on or has possibly finished the November issue of the “Fall Preview” series. I know, I’m wretchedly greedy when it comes to LiC goodies, but it’s Craig’s fault for the highly addictive stuff he pushes.
Oh yeah, the film… I’ll keep an open mind. It could be beautiful.
I wasn’t much of a fan of The Counterfeiters–though it had a fine lead performance–but Fateless was an impressive work from Hungary, and Everything is Illuminated, though I’ve yet to take another look at it, was an equally pleasant and poignant film by Liev Schreiber.
In the fall battle between this and Ed Zwick’s Defiance, I’ll go with this, sight unseen (though that film has Schreiber in it!).
Unless I fall asleep tonight after work, the next Fall Preview will be tomorrow.
And I agree with you about the Zwick. That guy just doesn’t do much for me, though I have fond memories of Glory…which I never saw again.
I’m going to the press screening of this on the 11th of September.