Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- somber
- wry
- harrowing
- historical film night
- holocaust remembrance
What critics said
Critics broadly found the Holocaust-set tragicomedy contrived and manipulative, with awkward performances and overwritten direction obscuring its emotional aims.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jakob invents reports from a supposed secret radio to give the ghetto hope while hiding the truth of his limited information.
The film combines slightly humorous episodes in ghetto life with imprisonment, deportation threats, and Holocaust persecution.
Jakob secretly shelters Lina after she escapes from a camp transport train.
Rumors of Jakob's secret radio shape the ghetto's expectations and propel the central deception.
Films like Jakob the Liar, and why
Life Is Beautiful
shared Holocaust-era setting, tragicomic tone, and use of humor to sustain hope under Nazi persecution
The Pianist
shared World War II Jewish ghetto setting, ensemble drama, resistance themes, and moral pressure
Schindler's List
shared Holocaust subject, survival drama, Jewish community focus, and emotionally urgent historical realism
The Zookeeper's Wife
shared wartime occupation, civilian resistance, concealed identities, and somber historical drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Kassovitz
- Release Date
- 1999-09-16
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (420)
Cast
- Robin Williams
- Liev Schreiber
- Hannah Taylor-Gordon
- Alan Arkin
- Michael Jeter
- Bob Balaban
- Armin Mueller-Stahl
- Éva Igó
- István Bálint
- Mark Margolis
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- 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 Jakob the Liar about?
- A Jewish shopkeeper in a Nazi-occupied ghetto invents hopeful radio reports while risking everything to protect an escaped girl.
- What is Jakob the Liar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Jakob the Liar as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Jakob the Liar violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Jakob the Liar as moderate.
- What did critics think of Jakob the Liar?
- Critics broadly found the Holocaust-set tragicomedy contrived and manipulative, with awkward performances and overwritten direction obscuring its emotional aims.
- Which films are like Jakob the Liar?
- Films with a similar feel include Life Is Beautiful, The Pianist, Schindler's List, and The Zookeeper's Wife.
- How long is Jakob the Liar?
- Jakob the Liar runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Jakob the Liar?
- In United States, Jakob the Liar streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
