Viewed: THE READER

It flows with a leisurely pace. Takes you on a unique journey. Spans a time of over 35 years. And gives you a lot of moments that are moving. Eventually, it's a touching story of a man who finally learns to deal with himself and open himself up.

The Reader is about a young boy, Michael and spans his life from teenage to a time when he has a teenage daughter. His story revolves around a woman, Hanna with whom he has an affair when he is 15. He discovers sexuality thanks to her and in the process experiences affection. Though the affair lasts only a summer, it changes his life forever.

Almost the whole story unfolds in flashback except for the ending, as Michael tracks his life defined by his relationship with Hanna. She loves to be read books by him and he becomes her 'reader'; getting new books all the time and reading to her. Till this time the films works more of a romance between a young boy and a woman but when they separate the story goes up a level and keeps ascending.

By staying close to the character of Hanna, it deftly creates a situation that deals with morality. Michael, who becomes a lawyer is put directly into the spot when he finds Hanna again, on a trial. But he is a person who is diffident, perhaps a normal ordinary man who is impotent in moments of crisis, and yet....he finds a way to connect with her and becomes her 'reader' again even though she is in jail.

Michael is a man who admittedly never opens up and in his later years as he realizes his flaws more, he takes a step forward by aiming to connect more with his daughter. There are some big 'secrets' in the film, about Hanna, which as they unfold keep touching you more and more as they directly impact Michael.

By spending a lot of moments in the early affair between Michael and Hanna, a special bonding is created that sets up the entire story. Kate Winslet, who won the Oscar, goes out all the way; she keeps the soul intact of Hanna despite her behavior that would be deemed immoral by the world and as an actress goes nude for many a scenes. Hanna's closed-personality is really opened-up by her effortless love-making and tender intimate scenes with Michael.

Daldry paces the entire film in a lesiurely-manner, and though at times, it feels like too slow you keep moving forward and by gradually revealing the history of Hanna he takes you more into his characters and story. Eventually, though the film has it's sad moments and looks like having a down-ending, he resolves it on a positive note.


Based on the novel, Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink
Screenplay: David Hare
Director: Stephen Daldry

Rating ***1/2

[Max ****]


{Watched on 4th March, 3.30 pm show at Southlands Cinema. Audi capacity: 147. Attendance: 5}