   Oscar® Winner for Best Actress in a leading role / Nominee for Best Picture, Directing, Cinematography, and Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Readera.k.a. “A Felolvasó,” “Cititorul,” “Der Vorleser,” “Le Liseur,” “Lukija,” “O Leitor,” “Predcítac,” “Sfragismena heili,” “Zaklinacz slów”MPAA Rating:
 for some scenes of sexuality and nudity.Reviewed by: Misty Wagner Extremely Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Adults
Genre:
Romance, Drama, Adaptation
Length:
2 hr. 3 min.
Year of Release:
2008
USA Release:
December 10, 2008 (New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco)
December 25, 2008 (wider) January 9, 2009 (nationwide) DVD: April 14, 2009  
Relevant Issues
NUDITY—Why are humans supposed to wear clothes? Answer How can I deal with temptations? Answer Should I save sex for marriage? Answer What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer 
“How far would you go to protect a secret? Unlock the mystery.” “The Reader” is primarily the story of a boy named Michael Berg, who grows into a man (Ralph Fiennes) with a fair amount of personality issues. This is demonstrated within the opening scene. As the movie unfolds, springing from 1995 to days playing out decades before, we begin to learn that the reasons for this revolve around his affair with an older woman, when he was 16. The older woman, Hannah (Kate Winslet) seduces him, only to later break his heart and disappear. Despite their very brief relationship, the effects of Hannah (and, in many ways, Hannah herself) never stop affecting Michael's life. Negative: (there may be potential spoilers)
I went into “The Reader” knowing two things. One being the premise of the plot, and two being that there was a substantial amount of nudity in this film. It seems that Kate Winslet is getting quite amount of buzz about her role. Typically being a fan of Kate, and rolls she chooses, I was eager to see what this film would have to offer it's audience. At the end of the two hours and two minutes, I found myself feeling very sad. The character of Hannah is one, in my opinion, who is void of the ability for emotional connection. She seems to be immune to anyone's pain or vulnerability—focused instead only on her own love of literature. Although I wouldn't label her actions as psychopathic, I felt that her emotional detachment could have led there in a different sort of film plot. I've not read the book this film is based on. Perhaps Hannah's disconnect stems from her time as a guard in the Nazi regime. I didn't feel that it really explained why Hannah seemed to care about nothing, and I wished that it would have. With the ending, I wanted to feel more about the characters. I wanted to care more about the story, but I couldn't. That isn't to say it wasn't well shot, or beautifully acted because it was… Honestly, I just don't feel there is anything at all redeeming to warrant a recommendation of this movie to anyone. Violence: None / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: ExtremeSee list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Comments below:
Positive
Positive - The Reader (spoiler alert) It seems that there is a point in here somewhere. Winslet is a streetcar conductor who is kind to the 15 year old Michael when he becomes ill. Later she seduces him and they spend a lot of time naked in bed or the bathtub. Often he reads to her. She calls him kid, and it seems like the relationship is one sided. Neutral
Neutral - Having read the book, I was curious as to what Hollywood would do to it. Obviously, the book is always better than the movie, and this movie is no exception. The overall effects, settings, light, etc were done very well. I enjoyed the scenery as they were riding through the country side, seeing old church buildings, and had a few discussions with my husband about the architecture. However, since I did read the book, I knew I'd have to get through the lovemaking scenes; which were disappointing. When will Hollywood learn that what is implied is so much more effective than what is blatantly across the screen? Nudity is a major distraction in a movie, and is becoming similar to kids movies that have to throw in the old stand-by fart joke. I understand the beginning of the story revolves around their physical relationship, but it can be more modest; a shoulder, knee, etc. Most of the love scenes were just to overdone. Anyway, it was disappointing because in the book she grows affectionately towards him, but it never transitions into the film. She maintains a very cool disposition towards this boy. When we got to the courtroom scenes, I was more impressed with the acting. Her fear of discovery is real, and his anguish over her choices is moving. Neutral - I found this movie to be haunting, in which more questions were raised after viewing as I reflected on the issues raised within. The nude scenes did little to advance the plot, and could have been implied with the same effect. Negative
none Movie Critics
…Stephen Daldry’s film is sensitively realized and dramatically absorbing, but comes across as an essentially cerebral experience without gut impact.… …it is Winslet's haunting performance that gives the film what success it has.… Though this remains a reserved film in which the underlying material is stronger than what's been done with it, enough of it has been retained to keep the enterprise on point. Especially when Winslet is on the screen. …The whole film, in fact, with its loping pace and plaintive score, feels like a woefully polite, not to say British, take on a foreign horror… …[2½ stars] …Like a good book with missing pages, The Reader seems stripped of essential meaning.… …[2½ stars] …A better title for ‘The Reader’ has already been used by another Kate Win slet film - ‘Hideous Kinky.’…expectations for a satisfying wrap-up, either emotionally or plotwise, are left unmet.… |
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