Despite the film’s dark themes, there are a number of scenes of gentle comedy, and those come mostly thanks to Rush’s and Watson’s facial expressions and delivery. Along with a memorable performance from Nélisse, Rush and Watson prove their impressive range. That being said, “The Book Thief” has its pleasures. These threads have the space to breathe and evolve in a novel, but when it comes to the film, less would have been more. But director Brian Percival’s film squanders the opportunities by squeezing a number of other subplots into the two-hour run time. There is plenty here to create both an emotional payoff and a healthy dose of suspense. The son of Hans’s old friend, Max is Jewish and on the run, and he ends up hiding in the family’s basement. In this small German village, she finds reasons to be optimistic thanks to a friendship with another youngster, Rudy (Nico Liersch), but she also comes to understand the saddest repercussion of Third Reich rule after a man named Max comes to the family’s door one night. After Hans teaches her to read, Liesel’s world begins to expand, both through stories from books she sneakily “borrows” and in a reality that’s informed by an oppressive regime. One bully learns quickly, though, that although Liesel can’t spell, she can fight, and that’s just the first hint of her tenacious personality. (She finds many.)ĭespite her tendency to pick up lost books, Liesel can’t read or write, and that momentarily makes her a punch line at school. The child immediately bonds with her new father, a smiling accordion player who calls Liesel “your majesty.” Rosa is more standoffish and looks constantly for excuses to yell. When Liesel’s on-the-run Communist mother can no longer care for her, she’s taken in by Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa (Emily Watson). With bouncy blond hair and big, sad eyes, actress Sophie Nélisse utterly embodies the character of a girl given up for adoption shortly after her brother dies. The sticky-fingered title character is Liesel. Based on a bestselling novel, the movie tries heartily to contain writer Markus Zusak’s myriad plot points, but the result is a rushed conclusion, which tempers the intended tear-jerking climax. But the movie about a girl adopted by a German couple during World War II also crystallizes the perils of book adaptations. “ The Book Thief” has its moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to an adept cast.
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