Movie MarauderThe Reader
July 26th 2009 02:06
The Reader is a touching movie of awakenment, love and self examination but will leave you wondering just how you should be feeling. Our central characters meet when Hanna (Kate Winslet), a mid thirties ticket taker on the cities trams, demonstrates an act of kindness in helping an infirm 15 year old Michael (David Kross) home when she finds him collapsed outside her building. Once recovered from the scarlet fever that had plagued him Michael returns to Hanna's flat with flowers of gratitude. The pair quickly develop an intimate and deeply sensual relationship, Hanna seeking companionship and Michael overwhelmed with feelings for the older woman. For Hanna, Michael reading to her, is his greatest gift.
The relationship comes to an abrupt halt when Hanna is told she is to be promoted to work in the office. Rather than admit her illiteracy, she simply disappears, with no explanation to Michael. He is hurt deeply and returns to his parents. Eight years later, we discover that Hanna left to join the Secret Service and is currently on trial with five others for the murder of 300 jews. Now a law student, Michael's class is present in the court room to study the trial.
Michael, who never recovered from the loss of his first love, finds himself in a quandry. Torn by the feelings he has for Hanna and the moral implications of the actions she is accused of. Knowing there is some miscarriage of justice he has the power to set straight but wanting to respect Hanna's wishes. Michael must make a decision that will not only determine the events of Hanna's future but will set the course for his own.
The adult Michael (Ralph Fiennes) present in snapshots throughout the movie, is an emotionally troubled man. He seeks to demonstrate to his daughter the reasons for him failing at his relationship with his wife and with her. Reasons that are entwined forever with his first love.
The Reader varies from other holocaust movies in that you do experience empathy for Hanna, we know her as a kind, compassionate woman with a love of literature. During the trial it becomes clear that Hanna does not possess normal thought processes. The viewer is left in doubt as to whether Hanna is really guilty of the heinous crimes of which she is accused, or simply someone of limited capacity, capable of following instructions but not of good judgement. We simply don’t know enough of what happened to Hanna after she left.
Winslet earned an Oscar for her performance in the Reader and while many critic has hailed her as more deserving in Revolutionary Road, her interpretation of Hanna is convincing and while the dialogue for this movie is not of the standard of Revolutionary Road, she must be given some credit for allowing the audience to feel so much compassion for her, never before has a Nazi war criminal demonstrated such a human element. A great number of the scenes in the movie are nude scenes which are tastefully portrayed and must add to Winslet's artistic credit in this movie.
Fiennes’ portrayal of the adult Michael’s emotional limitations is believable and of the quality you would expect of Fiennes but is very much a background story to the relationship with Hanna and the young Michael. The 17 year old German, David Kross (who had to learn English in order to film the movie) definitely holds his own in such esteemed company in what must have been a challenging role.
The Reader begins as a touching love story but in the end turns out to be a story about the loss of innocence, about pride and about tragedy. You’re left wondering how it is that you managed to feel so sad for someone you really shouldn’t.
Hanna and Michael
The relationship comes to an abrupt halt when Hanna is told she is to be promoted to work in the office. Rather than admit her illiteracy, she simply disappears, with no explanation to Michael. He is hurt deeply and returns to his parents. Eight years later, we discover that Hanna left to join the Secret Service and is currently on trial with five others for the murder of 300 jews. Now a law student, Michael's class is present in the court room to study the trial.
Michael, who never recovered from the loss of his first love, finds himself in a quandry. Torn by the feelings he has for Hanna and the moral implications of the actions she is accused of. Knowing there is some miscarriage of justice he has the power to set straight but wanting to respect Hanna's wishes. Michael must make a decision that will not only determine the events of Hanna's future but will set the course for his own.
The adult Michael (Ralph Fiennes) present in snapshots throughout the movie, is an emotionally troubled man. He seeks to demonstrate to his daughter the reasons for him failing at his relationship with his wife and with her. Reasons that are entwined forever with his first love.
The Reader varies from other holocaust movies in that you do experience empathy for Hanna, we know her as a kind, compassionate woman with a love of literature. During the trial it becomes clear that Hanna does not possess normal thought processes. The viewer is left in doubt as to whether Hanna is really guilty of the heinous crimes of which she is accused, or simply someone of limited capacity, capable of following instructions but not of good judgement. We simply don’t know enough of what happened to Hanna after she left.
Winslet earned an Oscar for her performance in the Reader and while many critic has hailed her as more deserving in Revolutionary Road, her interpretation of Hanna is convincing and while the dialogue for this movie is not of the standard of Revolutionary Road, she must be given some credit for allowing the audience to feel so much compassion for her, never before has a Nazi war criminal demonstrated such a human element. A great number of the scenes in the movie are nude scenes which are tastefully portrayed and must add to Winslet's artistic credit in this movie.
Fiennes’ portrayal of the adult Michael’s emotional limitations is believable and of the quality you would expect of Fiennes but is very much a background story to the relationship with Hanna and the young Michael. The 17 year old German, David Kross (who had to learn English in order to film the movie) definitely holds his own in such esteemed company in what must have been a challenging role.
The Reader begins as a touching love story but in the end turns out to be a story about the loss of innocence, about pride and about tragedy. You’re left wondering how it is that you managed to feel so sad for someone you really shouldn’t.
| 46 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
