The Zookeeper's Wife

2017
PG-13
2h 7m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

48K

YOUR RATING

Johan Heldenbergh, Jessica Chastain, and Timothy Radford in The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)

The real-life story of one working wife and mother who became a hero to hundreds during World War II. In 1939 Poland, Antonina Zabinska and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinska, have the Warsaw Zoo flourishing under his stewardship and her care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck. To fight back on their own terms, Antonina and Jan covertly begin working with the Resistance, and put into action plans to save lives out of what has become the Warsaw Ghetto, with Antonina putting herself and even her children at great risk.

Play trailer2:24

19 Videos

99+ Photos

Biography Drama History War

Keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, must save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion in WWII Poland.Keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, must save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion in WWII Poland.Keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, must save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion in WWII Poland.

Director
- Niki Caro
Writers
- Angela Workman
- Diane Ackerman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

48K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Niki Caro
Writers
- Angela Workman
- Diane Ackerman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 4 nominations

Videos19

Trailer 2:24

Trailer #1

Clip 1:27

A Guide to the Films of Niki Caro

Clip 1:27

A Guide to the Films of Niki Caro

Clip 2:27

Jessica Chastain Introduces a Clip From 'The Zookeeper's Wife'

The Zookeeper's Wife: Bring Them Out

Photos240

+ 234

Jessica Chastain Through the Years

Take a look back at Jessica Chastain's movie career in photos.

See the gallery

Photos

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
All the animals you see are real, there is no CGI use.

Goofs
When the children are singing the Four Questions, they are using the modern Safardic pronunciation and tune rather than the Ashkenazi, used in eastern Europe.

Quotes
Antonina Zabinski: You can never tell who your enemies are, or who to trust. Maybe that's why I love animals so much. You look in their eyes, and you know exactly what's in their hearts. They're not like people.

Connections
Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Jessica Chastain/Joe Manganiello/Gary Clark Jr. (2017)

Soundtracks
Continental Bounce
Written by Hans Zander
Courtesy of APM Music

User reviews109

Review

Featured review

5/10

Get rid of these ridiculous English/foreign accents

A film with promising actors and based upon an incredible true story, however didn't fill up to its high expectations, sadly.

Something that always troubles me, is feeling the need to speak English with an accent to show that they're actually speaking another language. It's in fact ridiculous, knowing that Johan Heldenbergh is pure Belgian (and actually speaks English with a Flemish/Ghent accent) and Jessica Chastain is pure American (her English/polish accent is just ridiculous). Either you just speak plain English or you make the movie with Polish actors. Besides that, Johan Heldenbergh, the zookeeper, (world-renown in Belgium but his first introduction in a bigger US production), was impeccable & perfectly casted.

The film didn't blow me away and was predictable from beginning till the end. Fairly enjoyable for a regular weeknight if you have nothing to do, but will most certainly be forgotten the next day - not anywhere near classic holocaust movies like Schindler's list or The Pianist. Too bad, cause everything was there (especially book & script) to make a much stronger impact.