Having read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak a few months ago, the Nantwich Bookworms went to see the screen adaptation to see if the film measured up to a book that was enjoyed so much by the group. Although met with criticism and mixed reviews by many, we all left the cinema wet-cheeked and teary-eyed as we were captivated by the emotional story once again.
Despite being set during WW2 Nazi Germany, it was beautifully shot as the world was opened up to us through the eyes of the young, illiterate, Liesel. As her journey into young womanhood and literacy develops and the relationships she has along the way explored, the harsh and unforgiving setting of the war, does not overpower the beauty of the story.
We thought it was well cast, with Geoffrey Rush giving a heartwarming portrayal of Hans Hubermann, Liesel's foster father, and the other characters offering a close match to what Markus Zusak had conjured up for us through his words.
As with many adaptations, much of the story was lost in the film, which although inevitable was still a shame. Our only criticism was, given that language and words were the main crux of the story; Liesel learning to read, describe and narrate, using stolen and abolished books, it was a little distracting that the dialogue was mainly in heavily accentuated English, with a few German words thrown in (mainly by the Nazi's), rather than in subtitled German which would have perhaps smoothed the flow and increased a sense of authenticity.
Joy Cassidy
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