Fine acting, excellent screenplay, and a quite compelling story...

Rating: 8/10 (26 February 2009)

Stephen Daldry's THE READER is another fine showcase of the acting range of Kate Winslet. Her performance here is breathtakingly wonderful as she manages to portray one of the most complex cinematic characters of 2008 in fine fashion. It is no real wonder she won the (long-overdue) Oscar for Lead Actress, but in my opinion, the award would have probably been more suited for her much under-appreciated work in the widely snubbed-for-no-real-reason REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.
THE READER's nomination for Best Picture came as a bit of a surprise but upon closer inspection one would realise that the direction, screenplay, and story were simply top-notch. Some credit must also go to young David Kross who performed his role admirably well. Ralph Fiennes is also as solid and reliable as ever.
My only real problem with THE READER was the way in which the story was told; in my opinion, there was no real need for the non-chronological, fragmented approach, as it would have been just as effective (and less annoying) if it was told in a more straightforward manner. Moreover, the film starts to lose its initial appeal after the first 2/3.While the events that occur in the last third of the film are somewhat important, they do little to progress the story. What was done in 35 minutes could have been achieved in about 15-20.
THE READER is a rare gem of a Motion Picture. Worth watching even if it's only for Kate Winslet's stunning performance. 8/10. 3.5 stars (out of 4). Should enter my Top 250 at 232. Highly recommended.