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Jakob the Liar

Jakob the Liar

Comedy · Drama · History · 1999

In 1944 Poland, a Jewish shop keeper named Jakob is summoned to ghetto headquarters after being caught out after curfew. While waiting for the German Kommondant, Jakob overhears a German radio broadcast about Russian troop movements. Returned to the ghetto, the shopkeeper shares his information with a friend and then rumors fly that there is a secret radio within the ghetto.

Movie details

Jakob the Liar

“When all hope was lost, he invented it.”

1999 Comedy · Drama · History 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

In 1944 Poland, a Jewish shop keeper named Jakob is summoned to ghetto headquarters after being caught out after curfew. While waiting for the German Kommondant, Jakob overhears a German radio broadcast about Russian troop movements. Returned to the ghetto, the shopkeeper shares his information with a friend and then rumors fly that there is a secret radio within the ghetto.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Jakob the Liar?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Peter Kassovitz

Written by

Didier Decoin · Peter Kassovitz

Robin Williams

Robin Williams

Jakob Heym

Liev Schreiber

Liev Schreiber

Mischa

Hannah Taylor-Gordon

Hannah Taylor-Gordon

Lina Kronstein

Alan Arkin

Alan Arkin

Max Frankfurter

Michael Jeter

Michael Jeter

Avron

Bob Balaban

Bob Balaban

Kowalsky

Armin Mueller-Stahl

Armin Mueller-Stahl

Prof. Dr. Kirschbaum

Court is in session

Put Jakob the Liar on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.