The Book Thief

Set in Germany shortly before the Second World War, The Book Thief follows nine-year-old Liesel Meminger, who is taken in by foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann after her mother can no longer care for her. Hans, a gentle painter and accordion player, teaches the girl to read, and books become her refuge as conditions around her worsen. Liesel begins taking books from wherever she can find them and shares what she reads with others, including a Jewish refugee the family hides inside their home. The arrangement puts the household at constant risk. The film is based on Markus Zusak's novel and is narrated by Death.

Brian Percival directed the adaptation, working from a screenplay by Michael Petroni. Percival's feature credits are limited; this was his first theatrical film, made after a run directing television, including Downton Abbey. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson play Hans and Rosa, with Sophie Nélisse as Liesel, Ben Schnetzer as Max Vandenburg, Nico Liersch as Rudy Steiner and Roger Allam as the voice of Death.

Released in November 2013, the film cost about 19 million dollars and took roughly 77 million worldwide, a return well above its production budget. On IMDb it holds 7.5 out of 10 from about 147,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.5 from roughly 4,585. A critics' rating of 5.8 from 149 reviews sits noticeably below those audience scores, so reviewers were considerably less positive than viewers.