Review: THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE

Stuns You With Its Humanity

2.5 Stars

Mini Review:

It’s a true story of how the Zookeeper couple Jan Zabinski and Antonina save the lives of 300 Jews during the occupation of Warsaw by Nazis. It’s humanity touches you deeply, but what is amazing is how Jessica Chastain gets into the role, caring for animals who seem to be comfortable being close to her.

Main Review:

She rides her bicycle through the zoo, talking to animals, asking the baby camel to run along her, she feeds elephants and hippos and even lets lion cubs sleep with her son. She’s Antonina, the zookeeper’s wife, Jessica Chastain in the title role.

You marvel at the casual comfort between her and the animals, but you know what they say, ‘animals sense fear in people’, and when you see the rabbits as well as lion cubs and a raccoon snuggle in her arms, you can but admire her courage, not to mention the bison scene.

No, I’m not giving the plot. Am admiring the zookeeper’s wife and her awesome lipstick. Book your tickets now.

Yes, it’s a true story and no matter how desensitised you and I have become to the suffering of others, this story of how they smuggle people out of the ghettos touches you somewhere deep inside. The cruelty of the Nazis and the innocence lost during war makes you aghast, makes you wonder if we are doing the same to the refugees escaping Syria every day.

You admire the courage of the people who risked everything to save others, people who refused to believe that neighbors had suddenly become less than human…

Yes, again, book you tickets now, watch the film just so we don’t forget what horrors we are capable of as human beings.

Watch the film if you love animals. Watch the film to see how brilliant the entire cast is: the little girl who is traumatised, the friend who hides in the attic, the man who takes care of the animals. And promise to never forgive people who kill birds for sport and say, ‘Have it stuffed and mounted.’

The film does manage to take your heart and squeeze it, but it loses points in the beginning when it comes across as rather stilted. You want to invest in the other characters but there isn’t enough time… But it is indeed a good film. So watch!