The Reader

OPENING: 01/09/2009

STUDIO: Weinstein Co.

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

The Charge
How far would you go to protect a secret?

Opening Statement
In my review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I complained about the lack of complexity in what would have undoubtedly been an extraordinarily complex romantic relationship. If you felt the same way when you saw David Fincher’s disappointingly thin epic, perhaps you will appreciate the virtues of The Reader. Here is a film that refuses to hold the viewer’s hand, offering us an honest and unapologetic portrait of an extremely complex relationship between a male and a female.

Facts of the Case
The story begins in the early 1960s, and the male is a German teenage boy named Michael (David Kross). One day, Michael gets sick on his way home from school. This is where the female enters the picture. Her name is Hannah (Kate Winslet), a trolley attendant. Hannah sees Michael throwing up in the alley, takes pity on him, and helps him home. It seems Michael has scarlet fever. After three months, he recovers, and goes to visit Hannah to thank her. Suddenly and awkwardly, Michael and Hannah find themselves in the middle of a passionate affair. She is at least twice his age, but such things are never discussed.

The two continue to meet every day, over the course of the entire summer, primarily only participate in two activities. First, Michael will come over and read Hannah part of a book… usually whatever he happens to be reading for homework. Then, the two will make love. After a few months, this relationship runs out of steam, and both parties bitterly go their separate ways.

A few years later, Michael is in college studying law. His professor (Bruno Ganz) thinks it would be a good idea to take the class to a courtroom to observe some of the ongoing war trials. When Michael and his classmates attend, six women are on trial for committing horrible acts at Auschwitz during World War II. Michael is shocked to discover Hannah is one of the women. He is equally disturbed by what he hears Hannah say, simultaneously admitting to horrible crimes and quite obviously lying about the severity of her actions. Why is she acting this way, and how will the relationship of Michael and Hannah unfold as time goes by?

The Evidence
The Reader is by no means a perfect film, but few films I have seen this year have been more intriguing. This is a film that gives the viewer a mental workout, constantly inspiring numerous questions. Why is Hannah so willing to jump into a relationship with this young teen? Is it purely physical attraction, or something else? Hannah is obviously guilty of participating in horrible activities during the Holocaust, but why is she willing to take the blame for things she didn’t do? How much are Michael’s future relationships defined and influenced by the passionate affair that served as his sexual awakening? Very few questions are given specific and definitive answers, but the film does not deliberately set out to puzzle. It plays very straight with us at all times, never staging things in a vague manner, but simply leaving out the inner thoughts of the characters. It’s very easy to imagine this film resorting to narration from Michael and Hannah (or at least Michael) that spells everything out. Not this time. We must observe behavior, facial expressions, actions, words spoken and unspoken, and come to our own conclusions. The success of the film is measured by the amount of collaborative work you are willing to put into it.

The actors here are top caliber and create convincing characters that we care about even when we don’t understand them. It has been said by some that Kate Winslet is the best actress of her generation, and I am inclined to agree. Her performance is simultaneously direct and enigmatic, much like the film itself. Michael is beautifully portrayed by David Kross as a teen and by the wonderful Ralph Fiennes as an adult. Here is a man who once experienced a summer so resonant, memorable, delightful, and painful that it more or less defined his life. There aren’t many important supporting players, but I quite liked the performance of Bruno Ganz as one of those professors with a gift for making students feel like their words are tremendously significant and revealing in some way.

When I said The Reader is not a perfect film, perhaps I should re-phrase… it’s actually a very flawed film. The pacing is off-kilter and uneven. Some of the early scenes very nearly veer into exploitation. Ultimately, I felt these scenes were within the realm of good taste, but some viewers may not. The final two scenes end The Reader on an underwhelming note. The first practically warns the viewer not to expect any sort of resolution or catharsis, and the second finishes the story in such an awkward manner it essentially says, “Okay folks, nothing left to see here.”

Closing Statement
Most of my problems with the film came into focus after leaving the theatre. As a viewing experience, this is nothing short of hypnotizing. The Reader is daring, honest, and well-performed, and will resonate with mature viewers who value a film that is willing to address difficult subjects without resorting to preaching.

The Verdict
7/10