THE READER opens in post-WWII Germany when teenager Michael Berg becomes ill and is helped home by Hanna, a stranger twice his age. Michael recovers from scarlet fever and seeks out Hanna to thank her. The two are quickly drawn into a passionate but secretive affair. Michael discovers that Hanna loves being read to and their physical relationship deepens. Hanna is enthralled as Michael reads to her from "The Odyssey," "Huck Finn" and "The Lady with the Little Dog." Despite their intense bond, Hanna mysteriously disappears one day and Michael is left confused and heartbroken. Eight years later, while Michael is a law student observing the Nazi war crime trials, he is stunned to find Hanna back in his life - this time as a defendant in the courtroom. As Hanna's past is revealed, Michael uncovers a deep secret that will impact both of their lives. THE READER is a story about truth and reconciliation, about how one generation comes to terms with the crimes of another.
Excellent movie with great thematic balance. It's poignant without being overly sentimental. Both the love story and the love scenes are realistic. The depiction of loss and the effect it can have on your life is especially well done. It just hovers at the border of being too "never forget" though a movie dealing with any aspect of the Holocaust usually faces this problem, and it's not rammed down your throat as with most. Winslet delivers as usual. Not quite Heavenly Creatures but up there with Eternal Sunshine...
