The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
Lines may divide us, but hope will unite us.
When his family moves from their home in Berlin to a strange new house in Poland, young Bruno befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. Unaware of Shmuel's fate as a Jewish prisoner or the role his own Nazi father plays in his imprisonment, Bruno embarks on a dangerous journey inside the camp's walls.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 7 May 2008 |
| Genre | Drama, War, History |
| Director | Mark Herman |
| Starring | Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga and David Thewlis |
| Runtime | 94 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.3/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 65% · Metacritic 55/100 · TMDB users 7.8/10 |
Where to watch The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
We could not find The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and JustWatch TV Store. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in 7 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Austria | Paramount+ |
| France | Paramount+ |
| Germany | Paramount+ |
| Ireland | Paramount+, Skygo |
| Italy | Paramount+ |
| Switzerland | Paramount+ |
| United Kingdom | Paramount+, Skygo |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Mark Herman directs this 94-minute drama with a tone that feels suspiciously innocent. The hook is Bruno, played by Asa Butterfield, who befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. It is a film that relies on the audience to supply the horror while the protagonist supplies the innocence. That gap between what Bruno sees and what you know is where the tension lives. It asks you to watch a boy play with a prisoner while the machinery of the Holocaust grinds on just beyond the fence. It is not subtle, but it is honest about its own perspective.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes sits at 65% approval as of August 2024, with an average score of 6.3/10 from October 2021. Metacritic lands on 55 out of 100 as of August 2025, a score that signals mixed or average reviews. The consensus calls it a touching, haunting family film that packs a brutal final punch. James Christopher of The Times called it "a hugely affecting film." Manohla Dargis of The New York Times argued it "trivialized, glossed over, kitsched up, commercially exploited and hijacked [the Holocaust]." Roger Ebert gave it three and a half stars, noting it is about a value system that survives like a virus. Ty Burr of The Boston Globe found the storytelling’s cold, observant logic saved it from kitsch.
What came next for the cast
Vera Farmiga moved from The Departed to The Conjuring. Asa Butterfield jumped from Son of Rambow to Hugo, then to Sex Education. David Thewlis spent the intervening years in the Harry Potter films, only to appear in Wonder Woman later. These trajectories do not prove the 2008 film caused them. They simply mark the years that followed.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
Read more: The Great Escape
Sources
- The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q157556 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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