The Book Thief
A grieving girl discovers the power of words and friendship while growing up inside Nazi Germany's machinery of fear.
Overview
A young girl's love for reading becomes her refuge in a world torn apart by war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- mournful
- tender
- solemn
- reflective evening
- historical drama night
What critics said
Critics found the adaptation respectful and emotionally appealing, with strong performances, cinematography, and music offsetting a safe, staid treatment of Nazi Germany.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Liesel learns to read with Hans, steals books from a Nazi book burning, and finds refuge in Ilsa Hermann's library.
The plot follows Liesel, her foster parents, Rudy, and Max in a small German town rather than soldiers at the front.
Liesel and Rudy attend school and form a friendship while Nazi ideology, book burnings, and threats shape their daily lives.
The film's production design and Florian Ballhaus's widescreen cinematography present wartime Germany in a carefully composed, emotionally heightened style.
Films like The Book Thief, and why
Hope and Glory
shared coming-of-age drama, children in wartime, and intimate humanism amid historical catastrophe
Empire of the Sun
shared world war ii setting, child-centered perspective, and bittersweet emotional tone
Life Is Beautiful
shared historical drama, resistance to fascism, and morally serious wartime atmosphere
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
shared literary adaptation, young protagonist, and themes of compassion under authoritarian oppression
Movie Details
- Director
- Brian Percival
- Release Date
- 2013-11-08
- Runtime
- 131 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (4590)
Cast
- Geoffrey Rush
- Emily Watson
- Sophie Nélisse
- Ben Schnetzer
- Nico Liersch
- Roger Allam
- Barbara Auer
- Rainer Bock
- Heike Makatsch
- Julian Lehmann
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Book Thief about?
- A grieving girl discovers the power of words and friendship while growing up inside Nazi Germany's machinery of fear.
- What is The Book Thief like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Book Thief as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Book Thief violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Book Thief as mild.
- What did critics think of The Book Thief?
- Critics found the adaptation respectful and emotionally appealing, with strong performances, cinematography, and music offsetting a safe, staid treatment of Nazi Germany.
- Which films are like The Book Thief?
- Films with a similar feel include Hope and Glory, Empire of the Sun, Life Is Beautiful, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
- How long is The Book Thief?
- The Book Thief runs 131 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Book Thief?
- In United States, The Book Thief is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
