Review of The Book Thief (2013) by Kezschmez — 18 Jan 2014

I think this is a particularly difficult storyline to try and translate to the big screen. For me, the appeal of the novel was the sublime use of language and imagery, as well as Death as narrator. So I had pretty low expectations for this film.

It was much better than I anticipated, but there were still some parts that didn't work for me. Overall, the performances were top notch. I was particularly pleased by Geoffrey Rush and the actor who played Rudy.

I felt Roger Allam was wrong as the narrator; something about his tone and delivery seemed off, maybe too polished. All the key relationships were handled well, and I think the film depicts Liesel's growing awareness of the horrors around her beautifully.

This is a quiet film, that at times became a tad too quiet. However I do give them props for giving it a crack and not making a total hash of it.