The Book Thief (2013)

Wartime drama focused on a young girl (Sophie Nélisse) living with adoptive parents (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson) in Germany at the time that World War II broke out. Her new family illegally house a Jewish refugee and struggle with the transformations around them. 

It’s an engaging story, elegantly conveyed with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. The acting is first rate (Nélisse and Rush are both exceptional), and – despite excessive use of filters – the film looks impressive, too. 

What spoils it for me is the voice-over narrated by Death, an omniscient character kept unusually busy during the war. It comes across as clunky and awkward, interrupting the story and reducing the emotional impact of what you are seeing.

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