As many European countries celebrate the end of World War II this month there have been lots of showings on movies about the war. In the Netherlands we celebrate the end of the war on May 5th and I watched this movie a couple of days later. If you're curious please read on about the story (no spoilers) and my opinion of it!
The Movie
The movie tells the story of Antonia and Jan Zabynsky who run a zoo together in Warshaw (Poland). As the war approaches and Poland is occupied by the Nazi forces, they try to continue giving care to their animals and upkeeping their zoo. However, after a bombing on the city they loose all their animals. They decide to use their influence and room to help the Jewish population living in the Warshaw Ghetto instead, accepting the high risks that come with that.
Review
I really enjoyed this movie, Antonina played by Jessica Chastain plays a really good role. You might remember her from her roles in Zero Dark Thirty or The Help and I think she really carries the movie. The suspense runs high in this movie as you are constantly afraid that they will get discovered or arrested (or worse). I also thought the movie gave a good idea of the Ghetto without focusing the whole movie on it, like the Pianist or Shindler's List do, so it provides a new angle.
The only downside of the movie I thought were the accents sometimes. It is a Polish story made into an international English-speaking film and the difficult thing is always how to keep it authentic. However, for me, having a Californian lead actor attempt a Polish accent was not the answer.
Overall though I think this movie is well-made and definitely worth a watch!
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The Zookeeper's Wife is an intense, sometimes-brutal drama based on the true story (which inspired Diane Ackerman's same-named book) of a couple who helped save hundreds of Warsaw Jews during World War II. Jessica Chastain stars as Antonina Zabinski, who, with her husband, Jan (Johan Heldenbergh), turned their zoo into a different kind of sanctuary during the Nazis' occupation of their city. Expect many disturbing scenes of wartime carnage and destruction -- including bombings, battles, explosions, and shootings. A teen girl is raped by Nazi soldiers (the act itself isn't shown, but viewers see her being taken away and then beaten and bloody after the fact). People are executed, animals are shot, and Jews are rounded up in the Warsaw ghetto and later placed on trains bound for concentration camps. There are many moments of tension and fear, but characters also show compassion and courage in the face of tremendous odds. While there's no strong language to worry about, characters do embrace passionately, and sex is implied (a naked breast is briefly seen). There's also a fair amount of smoking (accurate for the era) and drinking.