Boy In Striped Pajamas: Ending Worth Seeing

By Connect2Mason Writer Emily Culley.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is based off the novel of the same name. The story focuses around Bruno's family, as his father is made a high ranking Nazi officer, forcing them to move from their lavish Berlin mansion to a drab, dull house located just outside a Nazi concentration camp.

While in Berlin, Bruno is able to imagine himself as anything he wishes. Literally zooming past Nazi officers as they capture and detain Jews to send them off to the concentration camp. Once the family moves closer to the concentration camp, Bruno finds himself capture in the confinement of his own home, while surrounded by endless exploring opportunities.

From his window Bruno can see the concentration camp, which he naively mistakes for a farm. Immediately Bruno begins to question his mother why the farmers farm in their pajamas, highlighting the extreme innocence he has with viewing the world.

Desperate for a chance to explore and break free of his confinement, Bruno escapes through the back garden and into the forest. While running, flying, and jumping through the forest Bruno comes upon the concentration camp, there he befriends an 8-year-old boy named Shmuel.

As Shmuel and Bruno become close friends, Bruno is being privately tutored by an army appointed man. Bruno's tutor focuses his education around the Jews, explaining on the terror and harm they have brought to Germany as a nation.

During the movie, Bruno faces many internal struggles with his family—particularly with his older sister's rapid transformation from young naive child, to father country loving, Hitler supporting young adolescent.

Other smaller confrontations within the social hierarchy develop as well, including the mother becoming increasingly unsure of the family's situation; causing a massive conflict to arise during the film's climatic ending.

The film itself contrasts an 8-year-old's innocence with one of the most horrific times in modern history. Bruno's filter over the situations is both horrifying and intriguing. While some parts of the film boarders near the extreme—and can be a bit over the top.

Yes, the film's end point is a little predictable. No, you don't want it to go where it does, but it does. The ending of the film is absolutely beautiful. It is what makes this film worth seeing. Particularly the last 15 or so seconds. As the camera pans away and the image starts to fade, the music is subtly rising a very artistic and emotive moment is created.

Grade: B+