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The Zookeeper's Wife

Play trailer 2:21 Poster for The Zookeeper's Wife PG-13 2017 2h 5m History Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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64% Tomatometer 180 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The time is 1939 and the place is Poland, homeland of Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski. The Warsaw Zoo flourishes under Jan's stewardship and Antonina's care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck. The Zabinskis covertly begin working with the Resistance and put into action plans to save the lives of hundreds from what has become the Warsaw Ghetto.
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The Zookeeper's Wife

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Critics Consensus

The Zookeeper's Wife has noble intentions, but is ultimately unable to bring its fact-based story to life with quite as much impact as it deserves.

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Critics Reviews

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Valerie Complex Affinity Magazine 06/10/2017
2/5
The film could have been an excellent introduction to a relatively unknown historical figure, but it doesn't eloquently capture the essence of their real life struggle. Go to Full Review Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) 05/10/2017
2/5
Questions persist about the tone and approach. Go to Full Review David Stratton The Australian 05/05/2017
3/5
Caro creates some impressive scenes, some involving the fates of the animals, one involving a mother and daughter who think they've escaped. But on the whole the film never quite manages to create the required mood. Go to Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies 08/20/2022
4/5
“The Zookeeper’s Wife” may not satisfy those looking for a more visceral experience, but not every Holocaust story requires that approach. Many of these stories weren’t as pronounced, yet they were just as powerful and inspirational. This is such a story. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 08/17/2021
3/4
The Zookeeper's Wife is an accomplished picture, offering a fascinating history lesson even as it remains wholly topical. Go to Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies 07/18/2021
Dr. Jan Żabiński and Antonina Żabińska were named to the Righteous Among the Nations and The Zookeeper's Wife shows why. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Martin B @RT44235356 10/23/2023 Why the zookeepers wife because it was Chastain? The husband took the greater risks. If you're a parent your first duty to your children is to keep them safe. The recklessness that this couple exposed their children to as written was hard to watch. The war ending, Chastain's character who has endured incredible deprivation and humiliation decides that she can't take any more and says "you disgust me" putting everything she had sacrificed fir at risk. But none of the family died even after they all were thrown to the winds. It was poetic license run amok for the sake of having a script have a proper beginning, middle and ending. Somehow when it's history it's doesn't seem proper to bastardize events like that simply to make a movie. That sort of story should have been left to the documentarian's. See more Megan e @RT58906942 10/16/2023 this movie is incredibly powerful! And Chastain's performance is wonderful! Good adaptation too! See more Thomas S @RT38038238 06/18/2023 Very hard going at times See more Justin V @RT90662955 01/27/2023 the story behind must be amazing, but the horror or the situation is nowhere to be seen. still moving and watchable. the scenes are too clean and romanticized to do justice to the realities faced. See more 08/02/2022 Had the potential to be so much better but Hollywood as usual ruined it. See more 06/21/2022 The zoo keepers wife is a dramatic, tearjeaking, heart warming movie. See more Read all reviews
The Zookeeper's Wife

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Cast & Crew

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Niki Caro

Director

Jessica Chastain

Antonina Zabinski

Johan Heldenbergh

Jan Zabinski

Michael McElhatton

Jerzyk

Daniel Brühl

Lutz Heck

Iddo Goldberg

Maurycy Fraenkel

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The Zookeeper's Wife

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The Zookeeper's Wife

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The time is 1939 and the place is Poland, homeland of Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski. The Warsaw Zoo flourishes under Jan's stewardship and Antonina's care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck. The Zabinskis covertly begin working with the Resistance and put into action plans to save the lives of hundreds from what has become the Warsaw Ghetto.
Director
Niki Caro
Producer
Jeff Abberley, Jamie Patricof, Diane Miller Levin, Kim Zubick
Screenwriter
Angela Workman
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Scion Films, Electric City Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Brief Sexuality|Violence|Nudity|Smoking|Thematic Elements)
Genre
History, Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.4M
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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