Michael Berg (David Kross as the younger and Ralph Fiennes as the older) gets sick one day on the street and a stranger, Hanna Schmitz, helps him out. When he goes back to thank her for her kindness, they end up naked in her bathtub.
About fifteen years his senior, Berg's attempts at courtship are adorably awkward. He takes Schmitz for country bicycle rides, buys her lunch, and reads to her everyday after school. But when Schmitz leaves one day without notice, Berg is left with heartache and questions.
Years later Berg sees his love again: on trial as a Nazi prison guard. Berg is filled with overwhelming emotions, but rather than confront Schmitz (or even allow his presence to be known) he wimps out time and again. The older Berg is an unlikeable character, showing no sign of a spine. When he finally does confront Schmitz, she is so old that it is not a fair match. He also asks all the wrong questions.
Ultimately The Reader is more about the listener. It is Schmitz who the audience wants to know better. A lonely, confused, and twisted soul who takes on a child as a lover, seems to see her job as prison guard the same as any other job, and takes a life sentence in jail rather than admit she cannot read.
Yet another fictional WWII film, this one is more sex less gore.The Reader may make you cringe if you think about the fact that David Kross turned 18 in July, 2008. When did they film this?
Directed by Stephen Daldry.
Screenplay by David Hare.
Based on the book by Bernhard Schlink.
Melody's Stars: * * *
Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system
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