DVDs in Review

The Reader

Title: The Reader (2008)

Release date: May 25 2009

Certificate: 15

Format: Reviewed on DVD, available on Blu-ray

DVD RRP: 19.99

Rating: 4/5

From Stephen Daldy, director of the excellent and intriguing 'The Hours', with David Hare penning the adaptation to the bestselling German novel and giving Kate Winslet another astonishing role comes 'The Reader' - a story of the Holocaust divided into three tidy parts and told without tanks, shots fired or any Nazi uniforms in sight.

Part one is set in post-world war two Germany. Winslet plays Hanna Schmitz, a middle-aged tram conductress who comes across a teen half her age (Michael Berg played in this segment by a fantastic newcomer - David Kross) who is seriously ill with fever and then takes him in temporarily.

It isn't long before the sexually inexperienced boy and the somewhat reserved woman give in to their repressed desires and embark on a passionate affair that lasts the summer. The condition for being granted sex is that he reads aloud to her - the act calms her volatile personality.

She enjoys being taught but not preached at or used and their constant affairs are distracting Michael from his school work and other friends. One day Hanna leaves without a trace, plaguing Michael with guilt and obsession - no other young woman can come close to this unsolved mystery.

Part two takes place years later with Michael in law school as a student observing a war crimes trial when he notices that one of the Nazis on trial is Hanna, causing him to go on a whirlwind of emotional grief and all-too-late understanding. Part three concludes the film as the characters are now much older (with Ralph Fiennes stepping in as the older Michael) and reuniting to fill in the gaps of their relationship.

Without giving too much away, this film is a masterstroke of characterisation and a metaphor for guilt passing between generations. Reading itself has little to do with preventing the Holocaust but understanding does - every leading character in this film is looking for an explanation to the off-camera actions.

To pull something like this off the film needs decent actors and the work in 'The Reader' is exemplary. Winslet (despite overshadowing herself for another brilliant turn in 'Revolutionary Road') richly deserved her Oscar win and Kross and Fiennes are equally brilliant sharing a challenging, layered role. They aren't mimicking each other at different ages - their characters have evolved.

In addition, the cinematography from Roger Deakins and Chris Menges is perfectly balanced, allowing for a dirty, cold tone to form over even the most passionate of sexual tensions. While the look of the film is handsomely framed, this isn't gloss, its gleam offers more of a window of reflection.

Stephen Daldry again proves why he's one of the best modern directors in Hollywood - his ability to craft expert performances and linger on flatly serious, yet emotionally charged, tones is masterful. Some will find fault with the revelations but as the whole film is about reading between the lines, 'The Reader' always finds the right words to express itself.

A challenging, enslaving film, 'The Reader' comes strongly recommended for fans of well-acted, slow burning dramas even if it does come across as somewhat melodramatic in retrospect. The DVD is available through Entertainment in Video.