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Jakob the Liar

PG-13 Released Sep 24, 1999 1h 54m Comedy Drama War List
29% Tomatometer 72 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In 1944, Jewish shop owner Jakob (Robin Williams) overhears a radio broadcast on the movements of the Soviet army while he is shuttled to Nazi headquarters from the Warsaw, Poland, ghetto where he is imprisoned. Upon his return, he whispers what he's heard to his friend Mischa (Liev Schreiber), and before long the whole ghetto is alive with rumors and hope that the long war will soon end. Determined to keep up their spirits as best he can, Jakob continues to lie with the best of intentions.

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Critics Consensus

Any real story is buried by awkward performances and contrived situations.

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Critics Reviews

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Globe and Mail Rated: 1.5/4 Mar 22, 2002 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times I prefer Life Is Beautiful, which is clearly a fantasy, to Jakob the Liar, which is just as contrived and manipulative but pretends it is not. Rated: 2/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Mark Caro Chicago Tribune I never lost awareness that I was watching actors speaking lines, not real people. Rated: 2/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com So sternly manipulative that it becomes a chore to watch. Rated: 2/4 Jan 3, 2009 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault "Jakob the Liar" isn't nearly as intolerable as you might expect of a Holocaust fable starring Robin Williams. Rated: B Sep 24, 2007 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 2/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Diva L Absolutely loved the movie. Loved the humour, the story line and Robin Williams' subtle performance. At least the movie wasn't being 'milked' for tears and the horrors that took place during WWII like all the other holocast movies before this one and no doubt the ones that will come after. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/24 Full Review Gregg B Movie had a lot of heart. Exceptional cast lead by the always unbelievable Robin Williams, Alan Arkin, Mark Margolis and Liev Schrieber. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/24/23 Full Review Steve D You know what happens even before you see it. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Krisztina S If you have a sense for a Central European Jewish humour, you will like the film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member It's too comedic in nature for such a serious topic. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Critics say 29%. Try 100% fresh. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1944, Jewish shop owner Jakob (Robin Williams) overhears a radio broadcast on the movements of the Soviet army while he is shuttled to Nazi headquarters from the Warsaw, Poland, ghetto where he is imprisoned. Upon his return, he whispers what he's heard to his friend Mischa (Liev Schreiber), and before long the whole ghetto is alive with rumors and hope that the long war will soon end. Determined to keep up their spirits as best he can, Jakob continues to lie with the best of intentions.
Director
Peter Kassovitz
Producer
Marsha Garces Williams
Screenwriter
Peter Kassovitz, Jurek Becker, Didier Decoin
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Television, Columbia Pictures
Production Co
TriStar Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama, War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 24, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.0M
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Surround, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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