'The Reader' is powerfully executed and stunningly acted yet the lack of a vivid message unquestionably brings down the film

Rating: 7/10 (22 January 2009)

'The Reader' is a sentimental and heavy journey through the complex relationship between a young man (Michael) and an ex holocaust guard (Hannah). Their relationship begins to consist of odd sexual pleasure to pleasure deriving from the sharing of literature or rather the reading of it. As the film progresses, the two slowly drift apart yet their universal love for literature and furthermore, Hannah's illiterate yearn to be read too supports their rather ominous relationship. Hannah is condemned for life imprisonment due to her actions in Auschwichz, while Michael continues to develop his law career until 20 years later when an astonishing sequence of actions lead to a poignant conclusion.
Kate Winslet's performance was truly praise-worthy, also her leniency in getting undressed and showing a bit of flesh was admirable. Some of her scenes shared with Michael (Ralph Fiennes) were very erotic, yet not in a tasteless way, Daldry shot it in a way to present love and compassion. The erotica wasn't used for the sake of producing just a reaction, not at all.
While this film was powerfully performed, almost masterfully directed and daring on the eye, the film's quality was dragged down by its definite failure to provide a vivid message or any redeeming value. I left the film disillusioned and extremely usure of what I had just seen or what the director has wanted me to see. Not in a good way like 2001:A Space Odyssey but in rather, an annoyingly confused way. I was watching the film yearning for a poignant meaning to this well-presented story, I was waiting for a moment of reflection, questioning or rather simply some type of way to stick all these actions in the film together. Yet instead I left the film mentally frustrated. I do love a film that involves thought, but I feel this film either doesn't have the capacity or has too much capacity for me to enjoy thinking about or to even decipher the meaning of it.
Daldry's 'The Reader' is a film of huge quality, but the lack of any wider contextual edge truly lowers my opinion of it.
Oscar wise, best picture? Definitely not, best actress for Kate Winslet? Maybe.
7.5/10