What 'The Book Thief' Steals . . . And Why

There is a real thief behind the new movie The Book Thief,  based on the novel of the same name by Marcus Zusak.

And the thief (knowingly or not) has stolen something very valuable -- maybe several things, in fact.

The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, a young girl subjected to the horrors of World War II Germany where she lives with her adoptive parents. Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others -- most notably Max, a Jewish refugee who is sheltered in her home.

Liesel is deftly portrayed by Sophie Nelisse. Ben Schnetzer is marvelous compelling as Max is what is Schnetzer's first major film role. The great Geoffrey Rush plays Liesel's father, Hans and Emily Watson plays her mother Rosa in what can only be termed a tour de force.

The acting is top-notch all around with special kudos to Scnetzer.

Furthermore, the story is big and sweeping. Cast against the backdrop of the Holocaust and World War II, it thrusts the presumed innocence of children up against the villainy, hatred, bloodshed and unspeakable horrors of Germany under the Third Reich.

Not that the world really needs yet another film about this era.

But can the lessons inherent in such a story ever be learned enough? And, this film had the potential to be more than just another story about the Holocaust because it is told through the lives of characters whose personalities and stories can reach us on a particularly deep and human level.

But what could have been apparently was not to be.

Because the film has been robbed of the sort of pacing that would maintain our interest.

The movie plods.

At times it moves at such a slow pace that it's excruciating.

Look, we know where the larger story is going. We don't need a tedious, step-by-step-by-step roadmap to tell us what's ahead.

And we don't need a script that has characters flat-out announcing what they're thinking at any given moment -- not when the actors are this good.

The thieves here are largely the scriptwriter and the director.

And that's sad because Liesel's story is worth following to the end. And so is Max's.

One other thing: The narrator of this whole tale (and his voiceover is heard often) is the voice of death.

Be forewarned.