|
The
Reader
The Reader tells the story of Michael Berg (David Kross), a fifteen year
old boy growing up in 1958 Berlin. Whilst on a journey home he takes a
tram which leads him to feel quiet ill and pushes him into meeting a
lowly, yet beautiful tram conductor by the name of Hanna Schmitz (Kate
Winslet). Michael is soon diagnosed with Scarlet Fever and is bed
stricken for three months, though upon recovering, he takes it onto
himself to find the tram conductor that he so fondly remembers. Hanna
begins to see a charm in Michael and the two begin a torrid affair
despite her being twenty-three years his senior. during their regular
rendezvous, Michael reads to Hannah, as a way to connect to her on a
different level, and in a way that will play a bigger role than he could
have imagined. Though before he can enjoy the moments Hannah is promoted
to a clerical job with the tram company and is forced to leave without a
trace.
Eleven years pass and Michael is now studying Law school with a upcoming
special seminar study on several women who are accused of letting three
hundred Jewish women die in a burning church when they were guards in
the National Socialist party. Michael is now torn and compelled to the
case, determined to defend the girl he loved so dearly but at a loss as
to whether she could perform such evil.
This story has kept to the key focus of its original text, written as a
novel by Berhard Schlink in 1995 and has some extremely powerful
emotional convictions on guilt and responsibility in post World War II
Germany with the strong undertones of a spirited lovers tale. It
immerses you in a world of blurred moral lines but still carries a
harsh reality of the despicable acts that occurred in Nazi Germany.
Kate Winslett is perfect for this role, as the Tram operator she plays
it true to herself to the smallest details and it's no surprise that
this is her Oscar winning performance. In another coo to Winslett she
plays against Kross with a loving intimacy that would have been crucial
to the success of this film. The scenes are beautifully shot and most
capture that mood of desperateness or desire just enough to take each
scene to the new level, coupled with Nico Muhly's score it creates a
perfect immersion with its fascinating characters.
The Reader is a very thought provoking tale but falls under neither the
'Love Story' or 'Holocaust' category, thankfully. Falling under either
of those would remove focus from its peer, and the tale needs to be told
with both ends. This is a fantastic watch and one that leaves you
questioning your own motives and decisions well after it's finished.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
-
Adapting A Timeless Masterpiece: Making
The Reader
-
Original Theatrical Trailer
-
The Makeup of The Reader
-
The Music of The Reader
-
The
Production Design of the Reader
|
