Not Oscar worthy

Rating: 8/10 (30 January 2009)

"The Reader" directed by Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry should not have been the 5th film to earn an Oscar-nomination as Best Picture. That honor should have gone to "Doubt" or "The Dark Knight". But, Holocaust-themed pictures are popular with the Academy so this film was nominated. However, this is not a great movie like "Schindler's List" but only very-good, like "The Pianist"
Michael is a high-schooler in West Germany in the mid-50s when he is afflicted with scarlet fever. When he gets sick on the streets, Hannah (the very good Kate Winslet) comes to his aid. After months of convalescense, he goes to Hannah's house to thank her for her assistance and soon the pair starts a romance. It mostly consists of Michael's reading literary classics to Hannah and then sex. This tryst lasts a few months and then peters out.
Almost a decade later, Michael is a law student and as part of a seminar on the legal ramifications of the Holocaust he attends a trial of several women charged with war-related crimes. Michael is very surprised to see Hannah on trial and has crucial evidence about her possible complicity. He must decide whether or not to bring it up.
I like this film but do not feel it to be one of the year's 5 best. So it gets a grade of 8 and a positive recommendation. But, do not expect a truly great movie when going to see this film.