The Reader (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Germany, 1958: 15 yr. old Michael (David Kross) enters a secretive Summer-long affair with 36 yr. old Hanna (Kate Winslet) in 'The Reader', directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours). Their love-making rituals are unorthodox. 1st, he must read to her from books by such authors as Mark Twain, D.H. Lawrence, Homer & Chekhov. After, they make love. 8 yrs. later, Michael discovers (to his good horror) during a trial for war crimes that Hanna worked as an SS guard under Hitler. Every year there is a big budget phenomenon (The Dark Knight), the feel-good movie (Slumdog Millionaire), the epics (Australia, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), the biopics (Milk, Frost/Nixon), the Judd Apatow fare (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), and then there's your thought-provoking, artfully made, well acted European fare. 'The Reader' is such a movie, and it's the best of its kind, for sure.
The film opens with Michael falling ill to Scarlett fever. Aided by Hanna, he returns to her apartment 2 months later to thank her. Within moments, she seduces him into an affair. And after he discovers that Hanna loves being read to, their bond deepens further. But their passion and their age difference go hand-in-hand with their torment. And much to Michael's dismay, she mysteriously disappears at summer's end. Shockingly, she re-enters his life in 1966 when, as a law student, he sees her on trial for a war crime! Not only is he horrified that she contributed to the deaths of hundreds of Jews, but he simultaneously uncovers a secret that could impact both his life, & her possible innocence. Can he lighten her jail sentence? Or is he too heartbroken & morally conflicted to assist?
The decisions Michael makes haunt him until 1995. Estranged from his daughter, he has lingered in an emotional wasteland for decades. Can he overcome his past to create a better future for himself & his daughter? This is the kind of film that slowly but surely seeps into your brain. It is a story about the atrocities that happened in WWII, but it's also about the mentality of the victims & the evil-doers afterwards. It's as much a story about the 'German psyche' as it is a story about the tragedy of Michael; coming to terms with the idea that the love of his life abandoned him. Does he risk his reputation (embarrassment over his underage fling), his dignity (helping her makes him a Nazi sympathizer), & a possible career to divulge Hanna's secret; one that could be the key to her freedom?
The answers don't come freely. And that's a credit to Kate Winslet's rich, captivating performance. Hanna lives with the guilt of the crimes she committed. It has affected and infected much of her life. But there's more than meets the eye: why did she leave Michael at the end of their magical summer? What else is she hiding? And if we were her, could we live with ourselves in such shame? It's ALL in Winslet's face (hard to imagine what is pent-up behind her tired eyes). She commits a variety of sins, but somehow makes us feel for her, too ... that's quite a task. Hers is one of the most haunting performances of the year; and one of Winslet's most challenging roles to date. Ray Fiennes is suitably repressed as the elder Michael. And David Kross is superb as the younger, confused Michael.
If there's a reason to see this film (other than the acting, cinematography, make-up, lighting, music) ... it's to experience the moral complexities of the characters in that particular setting. Can Germany's citizens forgive themselves for the atrocities done upon the Jews? By taking it out on other Germans (at these war trials), do they feel vindicated? Is there ANY reconciliation for them? Perhaps not. One character even goes as far as condemning the entire German generation for ignoring what was happening to the Jews in the first place. Everyone is scarred.
Although The Reader's themes are BIG, there's an intimacy, as well. Because of that intimacy & the weighty nature of the plot, it's an easier film to appreciate and feel enriched by, than to outright enjoy. This is the kind of film where much of the narrative is conveyed via contemplative looks & deafening silences. It doesn't have to be dense in dialogue to get the points across. I love these types of films. 'The Reader' is excellent at exploring the guilt, betrayal, & love that Michael feels over the course of nearly 40 years. Its subtleties are alternately riveting & mind-numbing. And I bet that's the exact intent of the movie.
The film opens with Michael falling ill to Scarlett fever. Aided by Hanna, he returns to her apartment 2 months later to thank her. Within moments, she seduces him into an affair. And after he discovers that Hanna loves being read to, their bond deepens further. But their passion and their age difference go hand-in-hand with their torment. And much to Michael's dismay, she mysteriously disappears at summer's end. Shockingly, she re-enters his life in 1966 when, as a law student, he sees her on trial for a war crime! Not only is he horrified that she contributed to the deaths of hundreds of Jews, but he simultaneously uncovers a secret that could impact both his life, & her possible innocence. Can he lighten her jail sentence? Or is he too heartbroken & morally conflicted to assist?
The decisions Michael makes haunt him until 1995. Estranged from his daughter, he has lingered in an emotional wasteland for decades. Can he overcome his past to create a better future for himself & his daughter? This is the kind of film that slowly but surely seeps into your brain. It is a story about the atrocities that happened in WWII, but it's also about the mentality of the victims & the evil-doers afterwards. It's as much a story about the 'German psyche' as it is a story about the tragedy of Michael; coming to terms with the idea that the love of his life abandoned him. Does he risk his reputation (embarrassment over his underage fling), his dignity (helping her makes him a Nazi sympathizer), & a possible career to divulge Hanna's secret; one that could be the key to her freedom?
The answers don't come freely. And that's a credit to Kate Winslet's rich, captivating performance. Hanna lives with the guilt of the crimes she committed. It has affected and infected much of her life. But there's more than meets the eye: why did she leave Michael at the end of their magical summer? What else is she hiding? And if we were her, could we live with ourselves in such shame? It's ALL in Winslet's face (hard to imagine what is pent-up behind her tired eyes). She commits a variety of sins, but somehow makes us feel for her, too ... that's quite a task. Hers is one of the most haunting performances of the year; and one of Winslet's most challenging roles to date. Ray Fiennes is suitably repressed as the elder Michael. And David Kross is superb as the younger, confused Michael.
If there's a reason to see this film (other than the acting, cinematography, make-up, lighting, music) ... it's to experience the moral complexities of the characters in that particular setting. Can Germany's citizens forgive themselves for the atrocities done upon the Jews? By taking it out on other Germans (at these war trials), do they feel vindicated? Is there ANY reconciliation for them? Perhaps not. One character even goes as far as condemning the entire German generation for ignoring what was happening to the Jews in the first place. Everyone is scarred.
Although The Reader's themes are BIG, there's an intimacy, as well. Because of that intimacy & the weighty nature of the plot, it's an easier film to appreciate and feel enriched by, than to outright enjoy. This is the kind of film where much of the narrative is conveyed via contemplative looks & deafening silences. It doesn't have to be dense in dialogue to get the points across. I love these types of films. 'The Reader' is excellent at exploring the guilt, betrayal, & love that Michael feels over the course of nearly 40 years. Its subtleties are alternately riveting & mind-numbing. And I bet that's the exact intent of the movie.