(1999)
2.5
Laura Abraham
Jakob the Liar stars Robin Williams and this is the first mistake in a journey of mistakes this film takes. While Williams has branched out with such films as Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society, doing a fine job in both instances, this film seems a bit out of his range. His abilities are limited and with a movie such as this, in which a serious topic is treated with a lighter touch, a more experienced dramatic actor would have been the safer choice. It is virtually impossible to watch or discuss Jakob the Liar without recalling the very similar film from 1999 Life is Beautiful. What sets the two apart is that filmmakers of Life is Beautiful understood the severity of the Holocaust and didn't trivialize it. Jakob the Liar smells like a pure money-making scheme, however, using the star power of Williams to draw audiences. The premise of an extrovert using his talents to make his time in the ghetto tolerable is an honorable one, but it should be done with grace and finesse, neither of these things being evident in Jakob the Liar.
Jakob the Liar on AllMovie
Jakob the Liar (1999)
