“The Reader” is a film about seeking redemption and holding onto the past. The movie, based on the novel of the same name by Bernard Schlink, is a delicate and moving drama about a young boy and his affair with a much older woman. The film transgresses to find the boy’s lover to have had a past that revolves around being a Nazi guard. The boy is forever impacted by his relationship with the woman and by her ties to the Holocaust.
Golden Globe Nominations
The movie is much deservedly nominated for Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture in the Drama category, Best Director for Stephen Daldry and Best Screenplay for David Hare. The film received rave reviews and has been rumored to be a frontrunner when the Academy Award nominations are announced. However, sadly, two of the prolific producers, Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella, died before the movie was released.
Why Kate Winslet Should Win
The star of the movie is clearly Kate Winslet—it is her performance that brings an effective solemnity and emotion to the film. Winslet has shown in her career the ability to play various parts, and this film also demonstrates her apparent grace at performing these separate characters. She even allows herself to age considerably in this film (a makeup process that took nearly seven hours). She is able to bring a quiet poise to the part of Hanna Schmitz throughout the woman’s life. Winslet is nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for this performance.
The other actor who brings a lot to this movie is David Kross, who plays the young man, Michael Berg. He has only acted in small roles in German films, but he is able to bring passion and feeling to the role. For many of the more provocative scenes, the film crew waited until Kross had turned 18 years old. Berg is also played by Ralph Fiennes as an adult. Fiennes effectively portrays a man haunted by his past, and although he does not have a lot of screen time, he is able to help the sometimes stiff dialogue with his impressive acting.
The film was beautifully shot around Germany, and the scenes of the countryside bring a much needed lightness to some scenes. Another key setting was when Berg walks around the concentration camp—although it is an extremely somber scene, the setting is accurately grave. The movie overall is a must see for the acting and the storyline.
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