The Reader

A devastating story about German guilt, with a side of sex.

By: Jenni Miller

Thursday December 11 2008 12:54:00 pm

Kate Winslet and David Kross in The Reader

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Director

Stephen Daldry

Starring

Kate Winslet , Ralph Fiennes , David Kross , Lena Olin

Studio

The Weinstein Company

Genre

Drama

Movie Rating:

The Pitch: 15-year-old Michael Berg, played by the wonderfully talented David Kross, embarks on a torrid love affair with the much older Hanna Schmitz. Unfortunately, the next time he sees her is while attending a war crimes tribunal and she's the star defendant.

What Sets This Apart From Other Holocaust-Based Movies? Some are groaning about the plethora of WWII movies this Oscar season, but The Reader is about the complexity of German guilt because of the Holocaust and its aftermath. The story, which unfolds in flashbacks, takes place before and after the Holocaust and illustrates the ripple effects it continues to have on the modern German conscience.

The High Points: Hanna isn't reduced to an S.S. caricature; she can be funny, sweet, and loving, or harsh and cold, and she draws in the viewer as much as she draws in young Michael. Each scene is carefully framed; Hanna’s tub is the focus of both their affair and her shabby apartment, which is draped in curtains, lend each encounter a womblike feel. The scenes featuring the grown Berg, played by Fiennes, are clear, crisp, and modern.

The Low Points: The overwrought music is practically a constant in every scene; there was no need to highlight the characters’ emotional states or epiphanies at every turn.

Kudos to Winslet: Winslet's been outspoken about her own body image and the effects of the media on women's body image, so the rawness of her love scenes and complete honesty about her body is especially effecting.

One Last Thing: Winslet deserves an Oscar for her amazing performance.

Okay, This is Really the Last Thing: It's always great to see Bruno Ganz, even when he's not playing a lovelorn angel as in Wings of Desire.

Stumble It

Comments

Siemens factories

on March 30, 2009

I had the same confusion and what clears it up is Hannah was asked during the trial why she passed up the promotion at "Siemens" - those were factories supporting the nazi war machine. She left her job with the trains for the same reason in 1958, so she left more than one job because of her illiteracy.

Question

on February 18, 2009

In discussing this movie with friends there is some confusion on some of the timing. Some felt that she joined the SS after the affair and when she was offered the promotion while working on the train. However based on the timing of when they met (1958) that can not be. In reading several of the on-line synopsis, there is a reference to her joining the SS after being offered a promotion. Again based on the timing this has to be an earlier promotion opportunity than the one depicted in the movie. Any thoughts? Am I the only one confused?

Wow.

on February 16, 2009

Your only complaint about this movie was with the "overwrought music"? What a stunningly superficial review. Way to go on this one, Hollywood. You've all really outdone yourselves.

Yes Jenny...

on February 16, 2009

I just saw the film Sat., and I was thinking the exact same thing when I just read the review. I can't think of anything in the film that actually happens before the Holocaust. We hear about Hanna's job before the Holocaust (at a factory I believe), but that is just narrative. Thanks for bringing that point up, because you are right, it is an important one.

Yes.

on February 10, 2009

You are right. Kate deserves an Oscar for her amazing performance in this movie.

Learn your history Jenni Miller... (sigh)

on January 26, 2009

You say that the flashbacks of the affair occur before her Nazi crimes. This is not true. She joined the SS in '43. He was 15 when they started the affair and we know that he was 24 when she was on trial in '66. If he was having an affair with her when he was 15 in 1942 then he would be around 38 during the trial. The affair happened years after the war. Which is the entire point. His guilt for having a torrid affair with a Nazi war criminal. That you missed such a key piece is terrible.