Plot Summary
Post-World War II Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.
Movie Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes
TOMATOMETER
61%- Reviews Counted: 192
- Fresh: 117
- Rotten: 75
- Average Rating: 6.3/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Rotten: Stephen Daldry's film is sensitively realized and dramatically absorbing, but comes across as an essentially cerebral experience without gut impact.
Fresh: As undeniably tasteful as The Reader is, it's also an absorbing and finally moving account of how one man comes to terms with both history and his story.
Fresh: The trial's outcome leads us into a third act that continues to give renewed, rending meaning to the movie's title.
Fresh: If Winslet carries the complex psychological intrigue of the film on her shoulders, David Kross carries the heart of it on his.
Customer Reviews
Powerful and very, very challenging but SOOOOOOO worth watching!!!!
I used to love going to the movies with my Dad - we shared a great love of film and our lively discussions and critique afterwards was always half the fun :) I couldn't wait to see The Reader and went to see it when it first opened with some friends... I was completely drawn into the story from the beginning and couldn't believe that when my two friends left the theatre, they were relatively unmoved (although both agreed that the performances were "good"). They just felt "it was slow" and that "not a lot happened"... I couldn't disagree strongly enough... If you're expecting a glitzy Hollywood dramatisation you'll no doubt be disappointed and this movie probably isn't for you... but if you enjoy a movie with a powerful, provacative storyline and some absolutely outstanding performances (Kate your Oscar is richly deserved, well done!!!!), then this is a MUST SEE!!!! There's, there's no denying it's understated but I was so moved by the film that I left the theatre emotionally drained as it is so utterly heartbreaking. It's a very powerful film that will really challenge you!!!! Sadly my Dad passed away a few years back but I'm sure he would have loved it too!
Deserving of Best Pic Nom.
I have found that screenwriters take creative liberty when adapting a book into film, and something usually gets lost in translation. However, The Reader gets in right. When I read the novel I felt every emotion possible (even threw the book against the wall). This film captures the emotion and conveys it to the audience. Kate Winslet is amazing and new-comer David Kross stands up strongly next to her. This film was more than deserving of the nomination it recieved, and the win for Kate.
Deep and Powerful
This film is quite painful to watch at points because it is so telling of human ego, human dishonesty and human inhumanity on all levels of human interaction. The emotional impact on me was similar to what I felt when I first watched "Sophie's Choice". The stories are different, but the criss crossing of subtle emotions lead to the same place... Humans are capable of the most unselfish and elevated acts of kindness and also the most depraved and hideous acts of thoughtless cruelty, all within the same person. We are contradictions and so it has always been. Excellent acting by all, and Kate Winslet was quite amazing to say the least. She was able to capture all the subtleties, both good and bad, of a seriously flawed individual. Bravo!
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