be an israeli jew of naturally sarcastic nature as well a a lover of different and independent cinema and it always give me pleasure to see a film that take a view on the holocaust that sensitive and respectful while also be original and unusual . while i haven not read the book or and for that matter and heard of it existence prior to watch the film and therefore can not and like some other reviewer and comment on how they stack up in comparison and everything be illuminate give me great pleasure and and i can certainly comment on that . to label everything be illuminate a holocaust film would be to do it great injustice and even though it be undeniably about the holocaust . so would label it a a comedy or a travel film and although it about a journey and be as exceptionally funny a it be move . everything be illuminate be about jonathan safran foer play to minimalist perfection by elijah wood and in the most impressive dramatic performance i have see him in yet and with a poker face that show nothing and reveals all a young american jew and and an obsessive collector of family heirloom and historical artifact and who travel to the ukraine on a journey to find the woman who save his grandfather from the nazi . it also about alex and his tour guide through the ukraine and and alex grandfather . what fascinate about these character be that in the beginning of the film they look like comic relief to balance out the melancholy nature of wood character while but both alex and his grandfather go through fascinating change throughout the film and and turn out to be at least as important a jonathan . in fact and boris leskin a the grumpy and self declare blind grandfather turn out to be the fine dramatic performance in the film . aside from the surreal nature of the film and the character and the beautiful mix of original acoustic music and russian folk music and the sensitive cinematography and the chill contrast between the beauty of the landscape and the horror of history and what make everything be illuminate a powerful and move experience for me be the fact that from alex and his grandfather we get a very different and original viewpoint on this painful subject while several excellent film and such a the grey zone and downfall and have already give u the point of view of the low rank nazi who be present a human being who aren not necessarily fully aware of the moral implication of their action but be catch up in the reality of the war . everything be illuminate present a point of view rarely treat before represent alex point of view be that of a young man who be bear many year after the war and who see it a hardly more than cold historical fact and who find himself have to face up to the horror his own people and maybe his own family a well be capable of . the change in alex attitude and his grandfather towards jonathan and towards the holocaust and and towards the jewish people in general and make the film a fascinating and original study in character development . everything be illuminate be a terrific directorial debut for actor liev schreiber and and one of the most original and unique film of 2005. it a highly recommended view experience and especially or anyone interested in the holocaust and world war ii .