Bruno (Asa Butterfield) is a typical eight-year-old living in Berlin. He spends his days playing with his friends, imitating bombing airplanes and guns. When his father (David Thewlis), a high-ranking German soldier, is transferred to another part of the country due to a new assignment, Bruno is none to happy to leave his friends, but looks forward to a new and adventurous life. Much to his joy, he realizes that although his new manor is surrounded by woods, he can see a "farm" from his bedroom window. A strange place exists just a short distance away where the "farmers," both adults and children, work in the fields and where only striped pajamas. Bruno is intrigued and when he questions his mother and father, they dismiss the conversation. One day, a quiet man in these same pajamas brings vegetables to the house and this man, Pavel, ends up staying on at the house as a servant. When Bruno injures himself falling from a swing when his parents are out, Pavel patches him up and Bruno is surprised to learn that Pavel used to practice as doctor. How odd that someone would choose to be a servant instead of a doctor - at least this is Bruno's thought.
One day, he decides to explore the surrounding woods, against his mother's wishes. He happens upon "the farm" and meets a downtrodden and dirty boy of his age named Shmuel (Jack Scanlon). Bruno learns that it is not a farm, but a work camp and it is in no way the pleasant place he thought it was. But he and Shmuel become fast friends, spending as much time chatting as possible. Occasion brings Shmuel to work in Bruno's house, but this ends in disaster. As Bruno's sister, Gretel (Amber Beattie) becomes a Nazi fanatic because she has a crush on a young German officer, Bruno's mother (Vera Farmiga) becomes less and less enchanted with her husband's work, especially when she realizes where the acrid-smelling smoke is coming from, just a few short steps from the place she is raising her children.
The most interesting aspect of the film is how each character is developed and which way each person evolves, whether it be fascination, disgust, duty or curiosity with the acts of the Nazis against the Jews. Loyalties are tested and hearts are broken, but the experience of seeing this film is a haunting one. Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon are amazing in their roles, both equally moving. Jack possesses such a vacant look, almost as if his little soul has been taken from him by what he has experienced, whereas Asa as Bruno is so curious to see how the other side lives and yet never quite realizes what is actually going on, but is determined to find out.
Special features include some deleted scenes, all worth watching, a featurette on the making-of and commentary. After seeing the film, I immediately wanted to learn more about the story and really enjoyed the special features. The acting in this film is superior, from the children playing the key roles, all the way down to Pavel, the Jewish servant. It's easy to grow attached to the characters and you will be moved by this story. Highly recommended.
