The Reader - Film Review

Went to see this film last Friday evening with my best buddie Debs. Its not what I would call a feel good film, but it is a film that will make you think. I certainly recommend it.

It begins in 1995 in Berlin where Michael Berg (Ralph Fiennes) is in his apartment, where he has a flashback to his 15 year old self (David Kross) meets Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) who is a tram conductor and much older than him. Hannah helps Michael when he falls ill, and after a three month illness Michael returns to thank Hannah, and so their affair begins.

You see Michael growing from a boy to a man, in more ways than one! Hannah likes him to read to her, and hence the title of the film. The film goes from Michaels time with Hannah, modern day and then back to when Michael was a law student and watched Hannah’s trial. When their affair has finished Hannah moved on and became a guard at Auschwitz. She is on trial, and we watch how she is treated by her fellow defendants and how Michael reacts to her disclosures. Michael has a moral dilema, what will he do? Although Hannah was part of something very terrible, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her as her story unfolded. She chose to be a guard, but circumstances in her life gave her no choice in some of her actions. Back to the 1995, can Michael make amends for his decisions at the time of the trial?

Very thought provoking and greatly played by Kate Winslet, who ages before your eyes.

If you see it hope you enjoy.