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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

(2008, Rated PG-13, Drama, Starring David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga, Asa Butterfield)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Holocaust drama sensitive, but never sentimental.

Themes in this movie include:   emotional abuse, friendship, physical abuse
updated 11.23.09

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Extensive discussion of the German attitude toward and treatment of Jewish prisoners during World War II, including deliberate, dehumanizing language. Discussion of anti-Semitic philosophies and ideas. Discussions of duty to one's country and race.
  • Violence:

    Guards brandish guns; prisoners are threatened with guns, clubs, and dogs. A beating is administered off screen. Discussion of a supporting character dying during an English bombing raid. The mechanisms of mass extermination are seen in action, including a sensitively shot yet still devastating sequence in which a room crammed with concentration-camp prisoners is gassed.
  • Sex:

    Affection between a long-married couple; non-sexual, waist-up male nudity as concentration camp prisoners strip for a "shower."
  • Language:

    One non-sexual use of "f---ing" extensive use of "Jew" as an epithet.
  • Consumerism:

    A Mercedes logo is visible on the hood of a car.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters drink hard liquor, champagne, and wine and smoke cigarettes and cigars (accurate for the time period).
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Parents need to know that this intense World War II-set drama follows a young boy whose father, a German officer, has moved the entire family close to his new assignment -- running a death camp dedicated to the mass extermination and murder of Jewish prisoners. The boy befriends a prisoner on the other side of the wire even as his teachers and parents explain to him about how "the Jew" is the enemy. Given the subject matter, the film -- which culminates in a room full of people being killed with poison gas -- could be difficult to watch for viewers of any age. There's also some drinking and smoking and concentration camp violence.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what teens know about the Holocaust. What upset them in the movie? Why?
  • Ask your kids whether they think people can be good and evil at the same time. Then you can go into the discussion of how the Holocaust was kept secret. Was it actually hidden, or did people know and simply look the other way?
  • Families can also discuss what keeps drawing filmmakers and audiences to this subject material.

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Our Members Say

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See all 28 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative role models

    GREAT DRAMA!

    This movie is an amzing holocaust drama! I definetly recomend it!

  2. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Kinda,Kinda

    I think it's good for children to learn about the holocaust but it's also violent and strong. If you want to see it be careful if you have a child.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    This was a fantastic movie. The storyline depicts the true reality that Jews were real people as a young son of a German military officer befriends a boy in a Jewish concentration camp. The ending is very strong, and I highly suggest watching this flick with your child, no matter what age!! Be prepared to discuss the holocaust, as viewers will not fully understand the movie without a basic knowledge. Many parts are alluded to, i.e. the smoke and smell coming from "the farm", are a reference to the burning of Jews in Auschwitz.

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative role models

    GOOD

    An amzing movie!! Aisa butterfield (bruno the young german boy) and Jack Scanlon (the boy in the striped pajamas) are very good actors for there age!! But they play in such an intense movie!

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!

    This movie is AWSOME!!!!!!! i love it!!!!!!!! But i have to admit the ending was a little to sad for me. But still a great movie!!!!!!

  6. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    A BEAUTIFUL FILM

    This is my favorite movie of all time! i can't stop watching it even though the end drives me to tears. But even though the end is sad the story was very well thought out and put into a beautiful well thought out movie about 2 young boys in one of the worst times in human history. The story is about a young 8 year old boy named Bruno who moves away from Berlin and goes exploring in the woods at his new home. When he goes exploring he finds a huge electric barbed wire fence with a little boy in striped pajamas on the other side. Bruno has no idea that his Father i running the camp or what he is doing to the poor defenslise jews. As he keeps on going to see his new friend more bad stuff keeps happening that helps Bruno relize what the camps are like. Each time he goes the situation get more and more intense until when he finds out he is moving back to Berlin he decides to dress up like a Jew and go into the camp not knowing any of the horrors that await............. Do you want to know what happens to Bruno and his friend? if u do then watch this movie!!!!!

  7. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    best holocaust movie ever

    this movie is very very great!!! but EXTRMLY sad and way to intense and overwelming for kids and most tweens and the ending will move any one who watches it. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING KEEP READING IF YOU DON"T STOP READING!!!!!!!!!!!! THE ENDING: both of the young 8 year old boys tragickly DIE in a gas chamber in the concentration camp (it is very dramatic because they hold hands as they die)

  8. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    a great movie a must see...for some people

    this movie is great for older tweens, teenagers even adults. I think this movie was specialy made for teens and tweens too teach them about the holocaust but in not such in an intense way as other holocaust movies would. examples of movies that are much more dtailed then this one are: anne frank the whole story, shindlers list..... the ending is sad and will move tweens and young teenagers but probably wont surprise anyone older than that. but if your child is a tween and has little to no noledge of the holocaust then have them read the book before watching the movie and talk to them about concentration camps and what they did to jews there because your child is going to need that noledge to understand and enjoy the movie. the only thing i didnt like about this movie is that the boys were so very young.. if i was directing this movie i would have made the boys atleast 13 years old so the ending wouldent seem as dramatic and sad. Also your probably are wondering "if my kid is 10 or under is this movie ok to let them watch"? well the answer is in most cases no. most kids 10 and under do not have very good noledge of the holocaust and are a bit to young to know about the holocaust because learning about something that sad and that terrible would be way to much for them. but if your child already has some to a lot of knowledge about it then this movie isnt off for them it's just IFFY but in most cases it would be completly OFF!!!!!!!!!!!! want to learn more about this movie and see the trailer???? then go to www.boyinstripedpajamas.com.

  9. I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Not for children, disturbing even as an adult

    Oh my please do not let your children watch this movie. My husband and I saw it and were disturbed. This was what went on in that time period, yes but WOW is it disturbing. PLEASE PLEASE do not show it to your children.

  10. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    WILL CHALLENGE EVEN THE MOST MATURE VIEWERS

    this movie is good but has content that will challenge the most mature veiwers. even some adults. VILONCE: kids and grown ups are beaten, shot, and killed in gas chambers. (most of this action is shown of screen) in 1 scene a little jewish boy is beaten by a nazie officer (off screen) but his ingerys are scene later. BAD MESSAGES: there is bad not true messages about how evil jews are. SEX: couples share a kiss. also Gretel has a crush on an older nazie officer. and when males stripe for a shower only there chest is shown. LANGUAGE: the nazie officers call say jewish people are not even people. and in one scene a nazie officer says that a little jewish bot is a filthy rat. DRINKING SMOKING AND DRUGS: adults drink and smoke. (they do it around young children. Also bar in mind that this movie is extremly sad! but exstremly good! and is a must see!!!!! and one more thing the nazie officers if u didnt know are VERY BAD ROLE MODELS!!

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    A Fourteen-Year Old's Thoughts

    Good movie for more mature kids and teenagers as well as the unusual kid that knows about the halocaust at least slightly and therefore knows what to expect. As a kid myself I think that kids are the best judges for what we can and can't take so take it from a kid it's a good movie slightly scary but what kid doesn't like a good shock in a movie now and again? Good movie and I cried the first time I watched it because the movie gave me a shock that let's just say I don't want to forget.

  12. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    The end is traumatic...iffy for anyone under 16.

    Until the last 10 minutes we thought this was an excellent film. The last 10 minutes are incredibly important to the story and highlight both the beauty and beastliness of humanity. The film would have been incomplete without those scenes. However, the end is extremely emotional, to a degree that most under 16 will not be equipped to deal with. My son is 11 and has vast knowledge of World War II, Concentration Camps, and more. He is also extremely mature. We loved the film but the end was too much for him to process.

  13. I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    SAD.

    WARNING: CONTAINS A HUGE SPOILER whoa!!!!!! that movie was SAD! and vilont. Pour bruno and Shymol! who would do such a thing to two children?! It's just sick!!!!!!!!

  14. I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0

    Shocking and Brutal at the Climax: But a Must-See

    When I went to see this with my school as an eleven year old, I was terrified. I've seen a great deal of horror movies, but this shocked me to the core. The climax at the end reduced me and several other kids in my class to tears. However, I would say it's a must-watch as issues so sensitive need to shown rather than ignored.

  15. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in Montana
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    HOW CAN PEOPLE BE SO CRUEL?

    this was a very good movie but the story.... the story is sad. When the movie ended and the credits roled down i was already crying my eyes out. When i showed my younger 9 year old cousin the trailer for this movie she just didnt understand what the boy behind the fence was going through and treated it like a joke. But if she had sene the movie she would have sene how cruel pepole can be and that the holocaust was no laughing matter. What happened to these boys was OUTRAGING AND TERRIBLY SAD. If your child is 11 years or younger in age have them read the book before they watch this movie.After i watched this movie i asked myself one question.... HOW CAN PEOPLE BE SO CRUEL?! but i never got an answer.

  16. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title off for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Great movie - Not for kids

    I thought this movie was well directed and acted with a great story line. However, the content of the Holocost was very shocking, especially at the very end. I did not read the ratings here before our family watched it with our 11 year old. He was horrified with the scenes in the movie and that something like this could have actually happened in our history. A great movie to watch, just not for kids.

  17. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Arkansas
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    how wonderful a movie!

    this is a very good movie I wish there was no bad language though.

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    OMG SOOOOOOOOO SAD

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative message

    Think twice before taking a sensitive person. they will cry their eyeballs out.

    This movie was good, but I couldn't sleep the night I watched it. I was BAWLING. I hate to be a plot spoiler, but the two boys DIE in a gas chamber. This movie was full of excessive violence. NOT FOR KIDS UNDER 13-14.

  20. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    see it no matter what. sad.

    O MY GOD. this movie broke my heart. I was ballling. still am. Great movie, but if you hate sad movies like me, then don't watch it. :(((((((((((((((((((((((((((( omg im crying. its a great movie you have to see it though.

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