Bruno's curiosity is piqued and when the door is left ajar he goes through and heads off into the woods. His exploration leads him to a the back edge of the "farm". The land is encircled by electrified barb wire and on the other side sits a young boy, Schmuel (Jack Scanlon). The two become fast friends, with Bruno visiting as often as he can.
What makes the film so fascinating is how the friendship between the two boys develops and what the two do for each other. The story is very much one of lost innocence as Bruno begins to have his blinders stripped away. He sees his mother and father argue over her obvious disapproval for what he does and her desire to protect Bruno and his sister, Gretel, from witnessing.
More pieces of the big picture are laid out during Bruno and Gretel's home school lessons, teaching the destiny of the fatherland and the evils of the Jew. Bruno doesn't understand what it all means, but his innocent view of the world is definitely impacted. Gretel, who seems to by into it hook, line, and sinker, serves as a poignant counterpoint to Bruno's own personal journey.
I dare not say how the story turns out, but it hit me like a punch in the gut; I can honestly say that I didn't see the end coming. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a wonderfully executed film, telling a familiar WWII story from a new perspective. We are taken inside the German nation and forced to experience this through innocent eyes, helping the viewer sympathize with the other side and showing the learned behavior that was drilled into them from an early age. Bruno is a good child. He may not understand all that is going on, but he demonstrates that people are inherently good and refuses swallow the propaganda being fed to him.
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