Directed by:
Stephen DaldryScreenplay:
David HareComposer:
Nico MuhlyCast:
Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross, Lena Olin, Bruno Ganz, Jeanette Hain, Susanne Lothar, Alissa Wilms, Florian Bartholomäi, Friederike Becht (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
The Reader, set in post-WWII Germany, follows teenager Michael Berg as he engages in a passionate but secretive affair with an older woman named Hanna. Eight years after Hanna s disappearance, Michael is stunned to discover her again as she stands on trial for Nazi war crimes. The Reader is a haunting story about truth and reconciliation and how one generation comes to terms with the crimes of another. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Videos (1)
Reviews (9)
An incredibly powerful and emotive film that doesn't just use World War II to evoke emotions, but presents a beautiful and poignant story that stands on its own. Yes, the war is certainly important here, but the story would hold up even in slightly different circumstances. An acting showcase by the main cast and director Daldry.
()
A nice drama with a leisurely start and a very intense second half and ending. Kate Winslet has outdone herself with a performance that is clearly Oscar worthy. I also appreciate that the film doesn’t pass any categorical judgement, leaving the viewers free to impart their own absolution. The topics The Reader deals with are so strong and deep that, thanks to the above mentioned liberty, they will stay in your head for a lot longer than five minutes after the screening. I also want to praise the music, it’s not obtrusive but still striking enough for me to notice it (which is far from the rule for me).
()
The part that takes place in the fifties is proof that pedophile soft porn and a story don’t go well together. The voyage through the sixties raises hopes that it would turn to some burning questions regarding collective guilt, the need to find a scape goat and to hypocritical verdicts for “the nation’s peace of mind". But no more than two or three sentences are uttered about that. And the final twenty years are good, but nothing more than just good. It’s a crying shame that the Germans didn’t adapt the book themselves. At a time when German cinema is experiencing a historic boom, when they settle up accounts with one historical skeleton in the closet after another, it would fit beautifully into their clutch of movies. They certainly have the actors for it (in fact apart from Kate and Ralph everybody’s German here). Plus it would be in German which would significantly add to the authenticity. And the English with a would-be German accent is torture to the ears.
()
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. After an unnecessarily long and drawn out opening about ignited passion (I understand that in terms of content it certainly has its point, but I found it boring at times), the reunion occurs again after eight years – at this point the plot begins to pick up and offers a truly excellent drama about hurt feelings and the difficulty of letting go of the past. Daldry's matter-of-fact, aware and precise direction is perfect for the subject matter of The Reader, all the actors perform more than adequately to the accompaniment of the beautiful chamber music, and the ending is well scripted, but it's not up to full marks with me. 90%
()
If this film was supposed to be primarily a drama about responsibility, guilt, and punishment, it failed to evoke the relevant emotions and catharsis in me. The film combines two problems: the relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a woman from an older generation, and the conflict arising from the young woman's involvement in war crimes. I am not familiar with the book, so I cannot assess to what extent the film's shortcomings stem from the literary material or the screenplay. However, some motifs and layers of the characters' relationship remained hidden or failed to captivate me. The stronger problem in general seemed to be the relationship between two unequal sexual partners. The genesis of this relationship is not particularly shocking, although it is certainly one of the few taboos that still exist today. Post-war Germany had to deal with the problem that millions of men had fallen on the front lines, so women found various ways to help themselves. The aspect of crime and punishment does not work for two reasons: firstly because the protagonist's involvement in the crimes is unquestionable, and secondly, because this line is overshadowed by the bizarreness of the whole plot and the main character. The characters seemed too flat to me, and the film felt dragged out. Overall impression: 55%.
()
Ads