Jakob the Liar

Amazon.com

Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful aside, milking the Holocaust for laughs is a dangerous game. Even the blackest, most therapeutic humor turns queasy in the shadow of such monstrous evil; it's like dancing on a mass grave. So Jakob the Liar's got a hard road to hoe--its eponymous schlemiel plays out his semi-farcical adventures in the mean streets of the Warsaw Ghetto circa 1944. The skies are always leaden over Jakob's hometown, reflecting the comic climate that pervades this mostly unfortunate adaptation of Jurek Becker's autobiographical book (first filmed in 1975).

Jakob Heym (Robin Williams in overbearingly earnest mode) gets tangled in a string of self-perpetuating lies about a hidden radio, supposedly broadcasting news that the victorious Red Army is nearing. His desperate attempts to convince a clutch of insistently idiosyncratic friends (clichés to a man: Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban, Michael Jeter, Alan Arkin) and obligatory Nazi bad guys that the radio doesn't exist are complicated by the fact that he's stashed a fugitive kid (a dead ringer--sorry!--for Anne Frank) in his attic--and by abundant evidence that lies are the best medicine for the ghetto's skyrocketing suicide rate. Copious unfunny misunderstandings and pratfalls eventuate in this Holocaust rendition of Fiddler on the Roof (you expect Williams to break into song: "If I were a funny man...."). Ultimately, Jakob the Liar loses its way for good in some very ugly violence and a rather nasty final twist: the film's ending might just be rubbing our noses in another feel-good lie. --Kathleen Murphy

Customer Reviews:

I think some reviewers are missing the point.......2007-03-20

I understand that the Holocaust is a sensitive subject to people of all ages, races, religions, gender, and so on. It is important that the world understands how and why this happened, and i commend all people who make an effort to recast and teach the world the terror that so many were subjected to.
Yes, we all know Robin Williams to be the slapstick comedian which has brought tears of laughter to our eyes instead of ones of compassion. But like Roberto Benigni in Life is Beautiful, Williams brings to life a character who tries to lift the spirits of friends and strangers who are looking for one thing, hope.
Whether Williams' character was real or imaginary, the human spirit can never be completely wiped by tyranny and oppression. 10 million people, including 6 million Jews were systematically killed before the Nazi's were finally stopped. Some died as fighters, some gave their lives for others, and some gave just simple acts of kindness, good will, and love. Each one of them were heroes of their own kind.
William's character told lies about Russian troop advancement to give the Jews of his Ghetto the will to survive and resist. Like real life heroes such as Rauol Wallenberg, Oskar Schindler, Mordecai Anielewicz, Hannah Senesh, and thousands of others who risked their lives for others, this is a story of a good man.
Maybe this movie was not an exact interpretation of its predecessors, books or movies, and yes it did have some hollywood-like moments. But oeverall, a tribute to the men, women, and children who shall always be remembered and never forgotten.

another ethnic cleansing film .......so we do not forget......very moving.......2007-01-10

jewish soles trying to avoid the devil's brigade (hitler's killing machine).... sad, but oh so funny and cute in sections that alas, maybe only the jewish people would truly understand. i found it all of these things but with love, warmth to the end.

comedy in the face of despair.......2006-05-02

I saw this film on television some time ago.

Robin Williams superbly portrays a Jew existing in a Ghetto in occupied Poland surrounded by nazis. In this despairing situation he tries to keep his own spirits up while hiding a fugitive from the deportations to the Death Camps. One lie after another, he inadvertently tries to fib his way through his dayly existence until they finally catch up with him.

A heartful story. Excelletn performance by Robbin Williams. The supporting cast does their job well. The ending Hopeful.

Read the book instead.......2005-11-22

I originally read the novel (of which I assume most of the other reviewers are unaware) and watched the earlier German film of the same name for a college course entitled "Memory and Mourning in Post-War Germany."

I'd just like to point out that the film is a horrible depiction of the novel. It seems that the director wanted to make a more "Hollywood" version of the film, and I think he succeeded. For instance, the entire ending is completely different from that of the novel, and in my opinion is completely wrong for the story.

In general, the film has little to do with any of the original versions, and is far inferior.

Very good and it shows the importance well........2005-10-12

We had to watch this for school and we just finished it today. I thought it was a terrific film. The end was very sad but still good!

Jakob The Liar (Jakob, der Lügner) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Germany ]

Average customer rating:

Jakob The Liar (Jakob, der Lügner) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Germany ]
Director: Frank Beyer
Manufacturer: CMC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000AAWIQ4

Product Description

Germany released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o English (subtitles) o French (subtitles) o Hebrew (subtitles) o Spanish (subtitles) o German (Dolby Digital 2.0) Synopsis: The screenplay for this wartime tragi-comedy was written by Jurek Becker, a Jewish survivor of the concentration camps and the Warsaw Ghetto. When he could not get the script produced, he transformed it into a worldwide best-selling novel. This movie was produced about ten years after the screenplay was originally written. The story concerns a ghetto character, Jacob (Vlastimil Brodsky) who tells the others huddled there that the Russians are winning the war against the Germans and are advancing on Warsaw. How does he know? He says he has a radio hidden away, which, if true, could earn him immediate execution. In fact, there is no such radio, and his prediction (for such it is) is years ahead of events. When the Germans begin executing residents and shipping the rest to concentration camps, his lie is shown for what it is. Indeed, his best friend commits suicide as soon as he learns the truth. However, for a little while, Jacob the Liar kept hope alive in a hopeless situation. Special Features: o Biographies o Documentary o Interactive Menu o Photo Gallery o Scene Access o Trailer(s)

Average customer rating:

I think some reviewers are missing the point
another ethnic cleansing film .......so we do not forget......very moving
comedy in the face of despair
Read the book instead
Very good and it shows the importance well.

Jakob the Liar [Region 2]
Starring: Robin Williams , Hannah Taylor-Gordon , Éva Igó , István Bálint , and Justus von Dohnanyi
Director: Peter Kassovitz
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004T0ZR

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

I think some reviewers are missing the point.......2007-03-20

another ethnic cleansing film .......so we do not forget......very moving.......2007-01-10

comedy in the face of despair.......2006-05-02

Read the book instead.......2005-11-22

Very good and it shows the importance well........2005-10-12

We had to watch this for school and we just finished it today. I thought it was a terrific film. The end was very sad but still good!

Average customer rating:

Jakob the Liar [Region 2]
Starring: Robin Williams , Hannah Taylor-Gordon , Éva Igó , István Bálint , and Justus von Dohnanyi
Director: Peter Kassovitz
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004VXZD

DVD:

DVD

DVD