Told in a series of flashbacks from the mid 1990's back to the late 1950's, The Reader follows the personal journey of Michael Berg (Ralph Fiennes), as he reminisces about a summer tryst he experienced as a teen, and how this encounter changed his life forever.
The Reader Synopsis
In the late 1950's, German teenager Michael Berg (played by German newcomer David Kross) falls ill during a ride home on the Berlin street. When an older woman (Kate Winslet) comes to his aid and looks after him during the course of an afternoon, she stirs new emotions in the young lad, and ensures he gets home safely.
As a show of thanks several months later (once he's recovered from his ailment, which turned out to be scarlet fever), Michael goes to visit his benefactor, named Hanna. When she suggests he join her for a walk on her way to work, he glimpses her dressing, which Hanna notices. Embarrassed, Michael flees, but returns a few days later.
Upon Michael's later visit, Hanna surprises young Michael by returning his affection, and the two make love. This affair continues for several visits, during which Hanna starts asking Michael to read to her, claiming she prefers the sound of his voice, rather than her reading on her own.
When the affair suddenly ends, Michael is left dispossessed, ill equipped to cope with this sudden loss. Years later, as Michael is studying law under the tutelage of a wise teacher (Bruno Ganz, Downfall), he attends a trial of a group of women accused of working for the Nazis, supervising camps as female guards.
Michael discovers Hanna is one of them, and is keeping secrets which could turn the course of the trial. Only Michael knows what she is holding back, but is torn between making the right decision, or revealing personal information about his former lover.
The Reader explores this dilemma, and the relationship of sorts the two have with each other, over the course of their lifetime.
The Reader Overall Analysis
The Reader is a well interpreted story, impeccably executed by director Steven Daldry, who previously brought audiences gems such as Billy Elliot and The Hours. Daldry finds a good balance between present scenes and flashbacks, infusing a better sense of the characters and their motivation.
Many critics readily accused this film of going for Oscar gold by delving into the ever-sensitive topic of the Holocaust. Daldry barely spends any time diving into the touchy subject, preferring instead to refer to it in mention. There is a dialogue-free scene of Michael visiting a now desolate camp, filled with the shoes of the dead, haunting shadows permeating the emptiness. This scene alone serves as ample reminder of the atrocities of the past war.
The film retains some of the most important elements of Schlink's book, namely how young Germans of the following generation (in the 60's) have no real grasp of the crimes and atrocities their parents participated in, and how this leaves them feeling either indifferent or outraged, at the legacy of shame left to them. This is best explored by the cast of young actors playing the law students, debating the trial at hand, which Hanna is a part of.
Kate Winslet is brilliant as Hanna, a proud woman whose perspective of right and wrong is obscured by her innate sense of duty, and whose pride can turn her life into a living nightmare. Winslet throws herself body and soul into this role, and deservedly earned her the award for Best Actress a few months back.
What's even more impressive, ironically, is the amazing performance of David Kross, who shares duties with Ralph Fiennes, in playing Michael in an earlier time. Having spoken very little English prior to the filming of this movie, Kross immersed himself into English, so to provide a convincing performance. Furthermore, his portrayal of a confused and emotionally torn teen whose first taste of love becomes a tragedy, should itself have been considered for an Oscar.
As for Fiennes, his interlinking scenes to the present are as excellent as always, as he does what he does best, playing complex dramatic characters laden with emotional baggage.
Look for equally laudable performances by Lena Olin (as a camp survivor and trial witness), and Bruno Ganz as the law teacher. Ganz displayed amazing range a few years back, with his brilliant portrayal of Adolf Hitler in Der Untergang (Downfall).
The Reader DVD Features
There are a handful of features on this disc, which mostly deal with the complexity of adapting the book to film, and how to recreate a Germany of the 50's and 60's. Skip the features about young David Kross experiencing his first film premiere (a bit too much backslapping there), and look for more interactive content, such as Winslet's grueling makeup sessions, which turned her from young streetcar attendant, to an old and tired woman in her 60's, blue veins and all.
This film comes highly recommended for viewers who can stomach very serious drama, but who are willing to tough it out for an emotional payoff by the credits. When such an enterprising project is done well, as it was here, the rewards are plentiful.
8.5 out of 10, for a well-executed, well-crafted drama, with impeccable acting all around.
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