15 Awesome Films Since 2000 You'll Never Watch Again
8. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas
Plot:
A young boy in a concentration camp becomes friends with the son of the Nazi who runs the camp.
Why It's Awesome:
This is a fine Holocaust drama boosted by strong performances and a unique, interesting look at humanity's darkest hour.
Why You'll Only Watch It Once:
The ending. Enough said already.
Before going into the film, we probably all guessed (if we hadn't read the book) that the little boy in the striped pyjamas eventually wouldn't be there anymore or something like that. We knew it was going somewhere bad but nobody could've predicted things would get this intense.
Towards the end, Bruno (Asa Butterfield) decides to help Shmuel (Jack Scanlon) find his father. He sneaks into the camp and pretends to be a prisoner. He and Shmuel then end up in the gas chamber instead and, despite the efforts of Bruno's family, they're too late to save them.
Most of the film is a relatively restrained depiction of the Holocaust with an element of hope thanks to its focus on friendship, but the ending is probably one of the most depressing in film history. It's also a heart-breaking reminder of the 1.5 million children murdered during the Holocaust. With an ending that depressing, few people would want to watch this again.