The Diary of Anne Frank (2016) User Reviews (6)

History lesson

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 11 December 2016]

This is a tough piece of film to watch. It starts off kind of light, even under the circumstances it is in (we're already deep into the Hitler era and his propaganda against Jews). But it gets heavier after that. Still the movie finds light moments to not get dragged down entirely. But like the main character, that doesn't mean everything going on outside won't affect you while viewing.

Actually if you are not touched by what is told, I would be surprised. It's well written and acted and while some might have issues with the pacing, this really happened. And most will know the outcome and still be guessing what is going to happen next. This is not easy, but it was a story worth telling and watching

Still very relevant and very touching

[Horst_In_Translation · 8/10 · 29 September 2016]

"Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank" or "The Diary of Anne Frank" is a German movie from this year. It runs for over two hours and was written by Fred Breinersdorfer and of course the girl mentioned in the title originally. The director is Swiss filmmaker Hans Steinbichler and his work here will keep him in the elite of Swiss movie makers these days. He was probably in there before the film already. The main character is played by Lea van Acken and she is as good here as she is in "Kreuzweg". Her character really seem to be heading tragic fates. The parents are played by Martina Gedeck and Ulrich Noethen, both very established German actors who have worked in the industry for a long time. Anne's older sister is played by Stella Kunkat, who I liked a lot in "Dschungelkind", when she was the child actress in the center of it all playing the title character. So the premise is certainly there that sparkled my curiosity. And I did not get disappointed in the slightest.

The story of Anne Frank is a famous one. Most schools include her diary as an essential part when it comes to the books the pupils have to read. And there are many films about this subject too, also Oscar winning movies already (the one in the 1950s in this case). And there is a fairly famous mini-series starring Ben Kingsley. So yeah, the film is nothing that has not been there before, but it tells about a story that is important to be kept alive. Which was successfully done here. It is the story of a Jewish girl who tells us about her every day life in Germany. And there are several reasons why this is not just another entry to the big mass of Nazi-themed films that does not make a difference. It does. One reason is of course that it is a first-hand narration by somebody directly involved. But the heart and soul is the main character coming-of-age. She tells us a lot about other stuff, not just about Nazi Germany and the way she and her family are discriminated against. It is also about love, about a teenage girl growing from being a child into a young woman. There are also some slightly explicit physical references about sexuality. It's much more than a film about the Holocaust.

I believe what makes this film really precious is the fact that it is so easily accessible for younger audiences, for people who are the same age as Anne. They understand her thinking and they can easily identify with her, especially the girls probably. Annd at the same time, they learn an extremely important lesson about history. I do believe that in German curriculums, the years of Nazi Germany and World War II may generally be a bit over-represented, but I can absolutely understand how this book (and maybe also this movie) should really be a part of the curriculum because it's history teaching itself to the current generations in a way that is probably better than any teacher could do it. But back to this movie. I would not say it is a perfect film by any means and maybe not even necessarily better than other films about the character, but what makes it interesting is that most films about Anne are really American and not German, which is a bit strange. I think all the actors are giving strong performances and it is impossible to say who's the best. The two child actresses are really extremely convincing. And the film manages a solid balance between tragically sad scenes (like the final hair cutting) and moments that could be about any teenager really. It all works nicely. For a 2-hour film it has really not many parts where I said these could have been cut and it never drags. It also manages to be quite essential and I loved the scenes when we see nothing but Anne and she is talking to us. I very much enjoyed the watch. It is a film that is entertaining as well as informative. Probably the best 2016 release I have seen so far and a contender for my favorite German 2016 movie. I highly recommend the watch.

A solid drama with no strengths or weaknesses worth mentioning

[DLochner · 6/10 · 28 May 2021]

Actually neat and overall a rock-solid film with numerous lengths. However, it can be argued what the added value of this production is. The story has so often been made into a film. Therefore, it would have been desirable if one had shown a little more courage with one's own accents. So it's "just" a solid drama with no strengths or weaknesses worth mentioning. The inner workings of Anne are badly shown. The actors Ulrich Noethen and Martina Gedeck are the best in the film.

A new perspective on a jaded story

[Karl Self · 9/10 · 6 March 2016]

There are many reasons to be wary of another movie about Anne Frank. First of, the diary has been turned into a film before -- with Audrey Hepburn as lead. Hard to beat. Then it's apparently yet another -- usually equally schlocky and moralistic -- German movie about the evil Nazi era to be fed to the yawning (school) classes. Consequently, Germany's largest news magazine Spiegel entitled its review of the movie "What school classes will be bored with next", and, much worse, Germany's largest tabloid Bild declared it "the most important film of the year". Leading actress Lea von Acken has been featured in all the gossip mags for weeks with her gushing about how awesomely brave and intelligent Anne Frank had been.

When I read Anne Frank's diary (originally entitled "The Rear House") as a school boy, I was hard pressed for sympathy. Not for the plight of the persecuted Jews in general, but for Anne Frank in particular. She seemed to be like one of those picture perfect girls who always did their homework on time and played violin as a hobby. Someone who wrote a diary to an imaginary friend called "Kitty" seemed to have been endowed with a rich inner life, one which I, for one, didn't care one bit for.

But luckily, all my expectations were unfulfilled. The 2016 offering of Anne Frank's diary is a fresh, important and eminently watchable movie. It really brings something new to an already full table. This isn't the censored 1950ies version of Anne, but a portrait of a feisty, often unbalanced, idiosyncratic and lonesome girl. She wrote the diary not because it was the girly thing to do, but because she didn't have anyone who understood her and whom she could communicate with. She was a girl who could be uncomfortable. Especially Anne and her elder sister are shown with unusual realism.

This movie might well give you a fresh perspective on a story you might have thought you already knew.

Dramatic story to remember

[Luigi Di Pilla · 10/10 · 10 July 2021]

It's the first time I saw a movie of the last living years of Anne Frank. I have read and heard much about her before. All the actors delivered a very authentic performance and the story was never boring, it deserves the highest vote and to be remember for ever. I pray to God to stay with them and for all the Jewish victims who didn't survive this horror. 10/10.

Creative, but I didn't like it

[ambros-710-460987 · 4/10 · 31 August 2017]

The movie itself is quite good, but I started to hate Anne Frank while watching this film. And in my opinion the naughty behavior of Anne is not realistic. If you imagine that there is a war going on an SS, SA and Gestapo are searching for Jews you are either braindead or you have to behave differently. I believe that she has been a wild rascal, but not that much like it is told in the movie. I turned it off halftime.