The Reader

I hate to be a party pooper but The Reader for Best Picture...really? I had such a lukewarm reaction to this film I can hardly think of very much to say about it*, which doesn't happen very often. However, as is my duty - I shall try to wrap some sort of pretty bow around my opinion and spew it here for all to see. Let's see...where to start? The film is an adaptation of Berhanrd Schlink's award-winning, best-selling, Oprah-book-clubbing novel about a steamy affair between a young German boy (Michael, played by David Kross) and a woman (Hanna, played by Kate Winslet) he meets on his way home from school one day. Alas, as all steamy affairs must do - their romance came to an end. Years later while in law school our young protagonist comes into contact with his feisty older femme again - only this time she is on trial for war crimes from her time as an SS Guard. Ouch young friend. You were basically sleeping with the devil and had no idea. I imagine it would read much better in the book than it translated to the big screen because in theory, it sounds like a pretty good plot, right?

Well, The best thing the story has going for it is that it talks about the Holocust from an angle we're not used to. What went on internally in post-war Germany? Just think of the trauma. What I appreciated most was being challenged to think beyond the history I know and be told 'Hey, not all Germans were Nazis and many people were ripped apart by WWII in many different ways, particularly psychologically. Chew on that'. At my age, it's difficult to imagine what it would be like to live in a place where militant radical ideology would forge such horrendous rifts between neighbors and cause people to act in the most inhumane of ways towards one another to the point of performing mass genocide. Most films dealing with this era focus on the atrocity and don't focus on what happened afterward, let alone in Germany. If The Reader did one thing right, it was that it shined a light on a very peculiar and intriguing time in Germany's history. The thing is, the story doesn't even get to this part of the plot until you're about 2/3 of the way through the movie and by then you're almost asleep (unless you happen to be very interested in Kate Winslet's breasts, which make many many appearances throughout the movie - perhaps that's why The Academy nominated her in the Best Actress category for this film?**).

Next up...tinkering with the narrative timeline. If done right it can be wildly successful (remember "Memento"?) But in this case...hmm...how to put this delicately? It sucked. And (*SPOILER ALERT!*) the whole plot twist about her wanting people to read to her is painfully uninteresting. Seriously. Illiteracy? I'm supposed to be angry with her for making kids read to her but sorry for her because she can't read herself? That was perhaps the biggest problem with the film. What statement if any is it making about Hanna and her behavior? Dammed if I could figure it out and that my friends is my two cents.

*Please note, this is actually my longest posting to date so apparently I do have some thoughts to share.

** I couldn't help myself. I was honestly appalled that Kate Winslet's performance in "Revolutionary Road" was 'outdone' by her acting in "The Reader". Sure, her turn as Hanna was good but certainly a far cry from the range she displayed in "Revolutionary Road". On the whole, that film was totally overlooked by The Academy and I think they should be ashamed of themselves. There are at least two films in the best picture category that are there wholly NOT the best films of the year - by a long shot. Why must it be so political? Oh yea, 'cause everything is. Sigh.