The Reader

Set in post war Germany The Reader is a film about Hanna Schmitz, a woman who seems to have no friends and possesses a secret, and Michael Berg, a young man/boy with whom she has an affair. The story follows their lives from the post war years through to the 60s and up to the 90s.

Directed by Stephen Daldry (probably most famous for Billy Elliot) with a screenplay by David Hare and starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, this is the first of the 'big Oscar hopeful' movies to hit the UK in 2009. It has already been nominated for 4 Golden Globe awards.

It's pity that it is such a dull film. Coming in at just over 2 hours it does little to holder the viewer for huge chunks of it, and seems to contain at least 2 false endings if not more. The main problem is that neither of the lead characters is remotely sympathetic and you, or at least I, didn't really care what happened to them. Hanna has a secret, well two actually, and she keeps one of them even as the first, her war past, means that she is sent to prison for longer than her war crimes should dictate. If you've read the book, or even the review in the Independent which contained this plot 'twist', then you know what the 'other secret' is. Ask yourself this question - if you were in her position wouldn't you just have admitted your 'shame' rather than face a lengthy jail sentence? Would you rather be known as x than as a 'Nazi whore'? Unfortunately it's on the acceptance of her rather ludicrous decision that the whole film falls apart.

There are some good parts to the film. Kate Winslet is excellent, especially later in the film as her character ages, and the section set in the 60s around the war trials contained some thought provoking and interesting moments. But unfortunately these do not make up for a dull plot with leads you just don't care about - indeed sometimes they seem to vie for who is the most unpleasant. Ralph Fiennes reprises his 'cold and emotionally distant' acting that was last seen in The Duchess.

It's disappointing and I left the cinema wondering why this was made as pretty much a 'British' film when, having seen what German cinema has done with their history in Downfall and The Lives of Others, left in local hands it could have been so much more.