Beautifully shot, with great acting and good characters. Sophie Nelisse, as Liesel, in particular, grew on me. But somehow the story just wasn't interesting. Rather than a look at WWII through a young girl's eyes, or even a story about the characters, it was just a parade of WWII movie cliches that was drowning in its own self-importance.

Watched it again on the day I finished reading the book. I liked it better this time, but only because I knew the characters already. The movie isn't long enough to develop any of them well except Liesel and Max.