Slow in building up,, but very after a few moments in

Rating: 7/10 (23 July 2015)

The movie starts and builds itself so very slowly that feels very strange. Also there's the awkward focus transitions between the young and older Michael and also between Michael and Hanna from time to time. But the movie really sets itself up well after a few moments in with those intimate shots. The characters, especially the main characters, are revealed very well by peeling their layers one by one. I like how the movie emphasizes on the characters' flaws, especially their hypocrisy, innocence and their reactions to ordeals, their own or of others they know. The acting overall is a great job indeed. Kate Winslet really depicted the character very nicely. We can really see all Hanna's angles, from her wild adventures with Michael, her firmness to him, but also her powerlessness which she hides from him. David Kross nicely depicted the innocence of a youngster who gradually changes into someone wiser. Ralph Fiennes did also a great job in imparting the emotions on the reading recording scenes and depicting the older Michael's doubts and reluctance toward Hanna.