The Reader

Released: 2008

MPAA rating: R

Run time: 2:04

"The Reader" was a finalist for Best Picture and netted Kate Winslet a Best Actress win for her role as Hanna Schmitz, a mysterious woman who begins an affair with a high school boy, Michael Berg (David Kross), and ends it just as quickly. Besides being his sexual mentor, she really enjoys him reading to her. That affair comprises the first act of the film (and certainly does not hold back on showing the affair). As the second act unfolds, we find Michael in law school where he is observing Nazi war crime trials and finds the center of attention to be his own Hanna Schmitz, who was a guard at a women's camp during the war and her job included selecting women for execution and she was involved in a fire which killed a large number of women. This part of the movie was riveting and, dare I say, unintentionally hilarious. No, there was nothing funny about the subject matter, but Winslet plays the role perfectly of someone who is completely incredulous that she did anything wrong. ("Are you saying I was not supposed to have a job??") The final act follows an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes), who is still obsessed with her to the point that his marriage has failed and he continues to contact her in prison. The story is very captivating and the acting was top-notch. I had avoided this film for a long time because it looked like it might be an art house bore-fest, but it was not. The story is very well told and has enough plot turns to keep you interested.

Grade: A

Trailer: