JAKOB THE LIAR

Does the world need or desire another LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL? Will Robin William’s star power captivate like Roberto Benigni? That is the question about JAKOB THE LIAR, a movie that too closely resembles the Oscar-winning movie released last year, and in fact was delayed release so as to not overlap on top of the modern Italian masterpiece.

American Robin Williams plays a Polish Jew captured in a ghetto during late World War II. Though he is able to remain in his own home, business has stopped and he fears death at the hands of the National Socialist Germans. One day when Jakob is out chasing a newspaper for some news, he is caught after curfew and sent to a commandant’s office. There, he is pleased to discover that not only is he not punished, but he sees that the Soviet military are bearing down on the National Socialist. He shares this news with his friends and compatriots, and the rumor spreads – Jakob must have a hidden, contraband radio, an offense punishable by death.

This news disturbs Jakob greatly for he fears the day when a not so understanding Nazi guard will not only destroy his home looking for the radio, but destroy him. Yet, daily his friends, including a young boxer named Mischa (Liev Schreiber), a doctor named Kirschbaum (Armin Mueller-Stahl), and his suicidal barber Kowalski (Bob Balaban), earnestly implore him for the latest news. Jakob cannot refuse to give them hope, so he fabricates hopeful but very nebulous news stories about the coming finish to the war.

Soon, the whole ghetto hangs on his every word. Ironically, the war is coming to an end, and the Nazi guards finally decide they must put a stop to the secret radio listener and news teller. Jakob turns himself in to the authorities to protect his own people, is brutally tortured and is given a chance to tell his people that it was all a lie, that he never did have a radio. However, the thought of betraying his people’s trust is too much to bear, resulting in personal tragedy but ultimately liberation for his people.

By nature of being the second movie with almost an identical plot, JAKOB THE LIAR will not win as much affection as LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. Furthermore, Williams is tender, kind, powerful, and humorous, but lacks the credibility of playing a ghettoized Jew, as he hails from Hollywood. The Italian Benigni plays an Italian and maintains a certain innocence to his story. Furthermore, while art direction is kept accurate and drab, everything looks a little too manufactured. The inclusion of other Hollywood stars like independent film star Liev Schreiber and Michael Jeter doesn’t help either. Still, this is an entertaining movie with a strong moral worldview and some prayers, references to God and quotations from Scripture.

JAKOB THE LIAR has a little more violence that LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and doesn’t contain a love story. It does have affection for a people group, however. Also, a sub-plot between Williams and a small Jewish girl is touching. A particular poignant scene is when he pretends to be a radio behind her back in order to give her some hope.

Christians and Jews may argue if lying was appropriate or not in this situation. Jakob did try to come clean at the very start, but his anxious listeners did not want to believe that he had no radio. In the end, when he had the opportunity to repent of lying, he paid a high price for refusing, believing that the results of not repenting would uphold a greater purpose – hope for his people. Happily, the war was coming to an end, or his sacrifice would have been in vain. Hence, this movie, while highly emotive and poignant, contains some troubling discussion points.

Production credits all around are adept and sharp, but they are too little and too late.