The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Play trailer

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

PG-13

2008

1h 34m

Drama

History

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

144 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

During World War II, 8-year-old Bruno (Asa Butterfield) and his family leave Berlin to take up residence near the concentration camp where his father (David Thewlis) has just become commandant. Unhappy and lonely, he wanders out behind his house one day and finds Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), a Jewish boy of his age. Though the barbed-wire fence of the camp separates them, the boys begin a forbidden friendship, oblivious to the real nature of their surroundings.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

A touching and haunting family film that deals with the Holocaust in an arresting and unusual manner, and packs a brutal final punch of a twist.

Read Critics Reviews

Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

11/04/2022

A child’s-eye view of the Holocaust, this family film is likely to trigger big questions from younger viewers.

Go to Full Review

Hank Sartin

Time Out

11/17/2011

3/5

[Director] Mark Herman knows how to milk the melodrama from every scene, but viewers may feel a little icky about the experience.

Go to Full Review

Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

05/01/2009

3.5/5

We are left in no doubt about the brutality of what's going on there but it's almost entirely off-screen. Still, the film is terribly confronting.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/07/2024

3/4

[The film] touches on important questions about the costs of human life and the dangers of hatred in a stirring, heart-wrenching tale.

Go to Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/19/2022

4/5

“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” asks several powerful questions about war, family, and morality. It also gives us a glimpse into a part of our world’s history that is still hard to look at but should be reckoned with.

Go to Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

01/31/2021

3/5

A valiant attempt to tell a small scale story about an unimaginably huge period in our history, and while it may drag in places, it has its heart in the right place and a devastating ending that will take your breath away.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Jack S

@JackSV 3d

This was an amazing but super sad movie. I watched it in my grade 8 socials class but when the movie ended my whole class just broke out into tears.

See more

Conrad C

@sosopoptart Jun 10

The ending comes on rather suddenly, but it feels intentional. Performances are solid, even among the youngest stars.

See more

R T

@RT30375948 Jun 10

The boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a históricas drama / war film relased in 2008. It tells the story of Bruno, a German boy, befriends Shmuel, a jewish boy living inside a concentration camp. Their friendship changes both of their lives. This film is set German and Poland during war II, near a Nazi concentration camp, and it last 94 minutes. The boy in the Striped Pyjamas starts Asa Butterfield as Bruno and Jack Scanlon as Shmuel, my favourite character is Shmuel because he is kind, calm and friendly. I recommend this film because it is emotional, thought provokins, and helps viewers understand the impact of perjudice and the Holocaust throrgh the eyes of children.

See more

Pedro R.

@RT17058026 Jun 4

Most tragic thing I’ve seen

See more

Owen I

@OwenTheCritic May 21

This film was absolutely amazing but I never thought in a million years that would be the ending. Definitely a sad film but it’s definitely worth a watch.

See more

Jes D

@ilaga May 19

First of all the movie itself does a great job in portraying the Holocaust but in the eyes of a kid. There we're a lot of scenes that fell a tad bit too short but the ending delivers every bit of emotion and forces it out of you. The way the movie subtly revealed little by little how power affects the mind of a person. solid movie, good watch.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Mark Herman

Director

David Thewlis

Father

Vera Farmiga

Elsa

Rupert Friend

Lieutenant Kotler

Asa Butterfield

Bruno

Jack Scanlon

Shmuel

The Book Thief

50%

73%

The Book Thief

Watchlist

Miral

19%

54%

Miral

Watchlist

Walking With the Enemy

46%

59%

Walking With the Enemy

Watchlist

The Other Boleyn Girl

43%

62%

The Other Boleyn Girl

Watchlist

Frantz

91%

85%

Frantz

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Frantz

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

RT on DVD: Rachel Getting Married, Milk Lead Super Fresh New Releases

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Four Christmases has a lot to be thankful for this weekend

UK Critics Consensus: Pineapple Express is smoking hot; If in Eden Lake, DON’T Hug a Hoodie

View more photos

Synopsis

During World War II, 8-year-old Bruno (Asa Butterfield) and his family leave Berlin to take up residence near the concentration camp where his father (David Thewlis) has just become commandant. Unhappy and lonely, he wanders out behind his house one day and finds Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), a Jewish boy of his age. Though the barbed-wire fence of the camp separates them, the boys begin a forbidden friendship, oblivious to the real nature of their surroundings.

Director: Mark Herman
Producer: David Heyman
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Heyday Films, BBC Films, Miramax Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Mature Thematic Material|Involving the Holocaust)
Genre: Drama, History
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.0M
Runtime: 1h 34m