Their lives are thrown into turmoil when Germany invades and occupies Poland. Yet despite having a few weaknesses, The Zookeeper's Wife is a remarkable tale of courage and sacrifice in one of the darkest periods of history.Īntonina Zabinski (Jessica Chastain) and her husband Jan (Johan Heldenbergh) are the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo. Still, there are some storytelling issues with all the time jumps and the progression from the husband and wife hiding just a handful of people to them becoming part a full-blown operation. Also, the score is quite evocative, heightening the drama and tension. And the costumes and sets are especially well-done, giving an authentic look and feel for the time period. Jessica Chastain gives an incredibly strong performance and is the heart of the film. Set in Warsaw on the eve of the German invasion a family that runs a zoo decides to stay and protect their zoo and its animals, and when they become aware of the oppression and abuse that the Jews are suffering at the hands of the German soldiers they become part of the underground sneaking Jews out of Warsaw and sheltering them in their zoo. Based on a true story, The Zookeeper's Wife is a compelling World War II drama about the effort to rescue Jews from the Nazi Holocaust.
