Power and Intense, Riveting and Emotionally Sharp and Haunting

Rating: 9/10 (20 January 2019)

5 February 2009. Easily one of the best movies of the year, "The Reader" brings new life and spirit to "The Summer of 42" (1971) and brings a heavy substantive heavy weight to "A Love Story" (1970). Kate Winslet is magnificent in a performance that defies reality and drama, portraying a complex character that radiates with both loathing and compassion. Except for two and maybe three irritating wrinkles, "The Reader" is on perfect display using effective flashbacks and editing to bring the life of two people interweaving back and forth in drama that plumbs of the depth of legal philosophy, first love and romantic love, of war and moral responsibility, of being proud, and taking risks, suffering consequences, redemption, and regret.
"The Reader" in an early scene raises a bit of a confusion as to the tram compartments and taking of tickets when first we meet Michael Berg as a boy and Hanna Schmitz apparently doesn't interact with him even though she punches tickets. However, to more confounding points that are never clearly articulated consist of Mr. Berg's decision on whether to help Hanna or not at her trial and Hanna's own decision not to reveal her disability - such omissions provoke incredulity and require some assumptions and beliefs that may or may not be realistic, dragging movie, however, slowly and briefly.
Nevertheless, this epic period piece that covers almost an entire lifetime, brings to light the idea of storytelling, oral tradition, suggesting ideas to the meaning of life. This movie both informs, entertains, provokes our thought, and touches our heart and soul in deep ways. A memorable movie. Nine out of Ten Stars.