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The Zookeeper's Wife
2017 126 min Czech Republic, United Kingdom, United States of America PG-13 12+
★6.9
Drama, History, War
Director: Niki Caro
🎭 Based on
«The Zookeeper's Wife»
byDiane Ackerman
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
The account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Jan and Antonina Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion.
Budget:
$20M
US Gross:
$17.57M
Worldwide:
$26.15M
Starring
Jessica Chastain
Actor
Johan Heldenbergh
Actor
Daniel Brühl
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 4 nominations total
Key opinion
The Zookeeper's Wife is widely regarded as a visually polished and emotionally resonant drama that centers on the heroic efforts of the Żabiński family. While the film is praised for its strong central performances and unique perspective on the Holocaust, it faces criticism for its narrative unevenness and occasionally superficial approach to its heavy historical subject matter.
| Acting | Jessica Chastain delivers a powerful and convincing performance that serves as the emotional anchor of the film. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography creates a vivid and effective contrast between the vibrant, charming life of the pre-war zoo and the bleak, harrowing ruins of occupied Warsaw. | |
| Theme | The narrative perspective, which prioritizes the protagonist's personal experience and compassion over traditional war-epic tropes, is seen by some as a fresh, intimate take and by others as a shallow treatment of the Holocaust. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is criticized for being predictable and fragmented, with many reviewers pointing to jarring tonal shifts and confusing plot jumps in the final act. | |
| Acting | The portrayal of the Nazi antagonist is debated, with some finding it a nuanced exploration of human duality and others dismissing it as a contrived and non-threatening caricature. |