The Boy In Striped Pyjamas

The Boy In Striped Pyjamas is a heart-wrenching tale. Directed by Mark Herman, whose CV includes the excellent Brassed Off! and Little Voice. It stars Asa Butterfield, Jack Scanlon, David Thewlis, and Vera Farmiga. The film explores the horror of a World War II extermination camp through the eyes of two eight year-old boys.

The brilliance of the film is that it shows just how innocent children are before they learn about their parents’ views, prejudices and expectations. It demonstrates that good people can do bad things in the wrong circumstances. However, the film also shows that on the whole most people are good at heart.

Based on the book by John Boyne, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas didn’t really get the box office recognition it deserves on its theatrical release, struggling to find a foothold amidst a stampede of blockbusters.

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas is set during the Second World War, in and around a Nazi concentration camp. It tells its tale through the eyes of two young boys. One is the son of the camp’s commandant, while the other is wearing the uniform of the camps inmates. The two boys meet and ultimately befriend one another, and this is the difficult story of their companionship.

Cinema release 2008

Certificate 12

Available on DVD and Blue Ray