Rating: 
Summary: A story poorly told
Review: This remake of the 1974 film by the same name draws obvious comparisons to `Life is Beautiful', but it is a poor substitute in every regard. This film sometimes tries to be `Hogan's Hero's' in its farcical sendup of German captivity and at other times it tries to be `Schindler's List' with disturbing portrayals of the inhumanity of the holocaust. Unlike `Life is Beautiful' which was a bittersweet story lovingly done, this story is merely distasteful and makes a mockery of the plight of the Jews in captivity during WWII. It portrays the citizens of the ghetto as bumbling idiots with little regard for the gravity of their situation. A holocaust story is no place for Keystone Cops comedy skits.Director Peter Kassovitz gives us nothing distinctive from a visual standpoint, nor does he bring forth the proper tone and mood from the actors. The acting is uniformly mediocre. Alan Arkin has given us numerous excellent performances, but his character was so insubstantial and inane, it was difficult for him not to look foolish. Liev Schreiber, as Mischa, made the character into a complete buffoon (perhaps that is what Kassovitz intended). Finally, Robin Williams needs to seek career counseling. He keeps taking these poignant comedic roles that are just not right for his talents. He needs to realize his limitations and embrace his genius. He is incomparable in frenetic, over the edge comedic roles that require quick witted ad libs and shock comedy. As a serious actor he is simply unexceptional and his attempts at such are especially disappointing when compared against his true ability. I rated this film a 4/10. If it was a holocaust story that needed to be told, it certainly needed to be told differently.
Rating: 
Summary: So So
Review: This seems like a "diet" version of the holocaust. There are guards, dogs, people shot, but it's not all there. Main role played by Robin Williams.. Doesn't quite connect in my view beacuse I'm used to seeing him in more comical roles which conflicted while watching this movie. This movie reminds a bit last year's big Italian hit - "Life is Beautiful", the story is very much similar. I would rate this one a family movie, no extreme drama or harsh scenes as one might have expected.
Rating: 
Summary: Revisionist garbage
Review: Unfortunately, in the satirical "Jakob the Liar," we are yet again engulfed with negative portrayals of the Nazi regime - they are all, without exception, demonized as monsters - and the Jewish occupants of the Warsaw Ghetto are hoping for the Jakob's lie to come true, that the Communists come and 'save' them from their captors. As history has shown, Communists brought exponentially worse barbarism to these persecuted folk and, if anything, the Germans had behaved like gentleman with them in comparison; these latter would often be remembered for turning a blind eye to the odd son, daughter or mother who pleaded to be set free temporarily for any small reason - and never, of course, to return. In "Jakob," there is no compassion on the part of the troops. No laughter or camaraderie among the Jewish people (the character playing the barber follows the trend of suicides en masse, without even saying goodbye to his pal Jakob), and, in the end, the prospect of a positive ending - the type of ending the film makes you believe is coming - is foiled instead for yet another shot at the beleaguered Nazi militia, though I won't specify in what sense exactly.
| 
