People agree this classic is 'the most heart-wrenching film' they've ever watched

A 'powerful' noughties movie featuring a number of familiar faces has left Netflix users describing it as 'heartwrenching' and 'harrowing'.

It's always nice to be entertained with a light-hearted comedy, but sometimes in life you just need a good cry.

I'm sure Netflix has a whole range of movies that could reduce viewers to tears, but it's one particular title from 2008 that caught people's attention this week.

Set during the second World War, the movie stars Sex Education actor Asa Butterfield, Harry Potter's David Thewlis - who played Lupin in the magical franchise - and Up In The Air actor Vera Farmiga.

Titled The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the movie is based on the 2006 book of the same name by John Boyne, and tells the story of a young boy named Bruno (Butterfield) who befriends a young boy of his age in a concentration camp.

Unaware of what the camp really is, Bruno believes the uniform worn by the people in the camp is actually pyjamas.

Asa Butterfield stars in the tragic movie. (Miramax)

Thewlis plays Bruno's father, Ralf, in the movie, acting as an SS officer who moves the family to live near the camp in rural occupied Poland after being promoted.

As Bruno and his young friend, Shmuel, become closer, it sparks a series of tragic events with long-lasting consequences.

The film might be more than 15-years-old, but it's still hitting just as hard today - as proven by comments that have been shared in the LADbible Facebook Group Netflix Bangers.

"This was the most heartwrenching film I have ever watched," one viewer wrote, as another agreed, saying: "I watched this film once 10 years ago and it still haunts me to this day."

Viewers are still haunted by the movie after years. (Miramax)

Other viewers said they 'highly recommend' the movie, with most agreeing that while it's a 'great' film, viewers 'will need tissues'.

Boyne, who wrote the book the film is based on, has previously described how he wrote the entire first draft in a matter of days.

Writing for The Irish Times, he explained: "[It was] Tuesday, April 27th, 2004 when an image came into my head of two little boys sitting on either side of a fence. I knew where the fence was, I knew what each boy represented, and I wanted to write about them.

"I began the next morning, not knowing whether I was writing a story, a novel, or something in between. I wrote a lot that day and, by evening, was certain that if I walked away, I would lose my momentum.

"And so I wrote through Wednesday night and through the 24 hours that followed and on Friday, at lunchtime – my 33rd birthday – I completed a first draft. On a scrap of paper, I scribbled six final words, a title I had come up with early on: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas."

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available to stream now.

Topics: Facebook, Film and TV, Netflix, World War 2

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.