|
Synopsis:
Though
THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust
film -acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an
Oscar-baiting end of the year release date - this drama has
a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator,
rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty
supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair
with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old
boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance
alternately making love and focusing on literature, with
Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his
lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns
to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is
studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for
her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn
between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret
that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight
and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel
by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael
(Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and
the collective past - and guilt - of the German people. This
is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy
answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but
she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating
and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of
Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen
Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another
literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise
for this polished film.
|
