How Wrong Could You Be?

The Reader
2008, dir. Stephen Daldry.
star. David Kross, Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, Bruno Ganz, Lena Olin
2 hours 6 minutes


Contnuing the Nazi theme of the season (having just seen Valkyrie, and a preview for Defiance played in front of both films), Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes star in The Reader, based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink. David Kross stars as Michael, a young german teenager in 1858 who falls ill as is helped by a strange older woman Hanna, played by Winslet. They conduct an affair, but then without warning, Hanna disappears. Ten years later, Michael is studying law and ends up at a war crimes trial where one of the defendants turns out to be Hanna herself. Michael could help exonnerate her (at least partially), but refuses to do so out off secrecy, as does Winslet, who admits to actions she did not do out of shame for her own secret.

In a similar vein to Valkyrie, The Reader examines to collective guilt of the German people with regard to the holocaust, and asks whether or not or not there are different levels of that guilt. My issue with The Reader, however, is that Hanna's actions do not make sense to her. Without giving it away, I can tell you I do not share Hanna's secret shame; that said, if the choice were revealing that secret or facing a life sentence in prison, I would reveal the shameful truth in a heartbeat, not matter how embarassing it might seem. But as I said, that may be easier for me to say, considering I'm not in that position.

Winslet is great as always as Hanna, and will probably nab another Oscar nomination for the role. The best performances, though, are Kross and Fiennes sharing the role of Michael. Fiennes gives what I think is his best work since The English Patient, and certainly his most subdued. Kross is equally strong as the younger Michael, and hopefully will show up in a lot more work. The great strength of the two actors is that their portrayals blend seamlessly into each other, and it feels like one whole character, rather than two separate ones.

3 1/2 stars out of 5.

saw Saturday afternoon at Silvercity with Paddy, my aunt Susan, and Steve. had a can of Coke Zero and some popcorn.