I first saw The Reader in the middle of November and thought it was, well, fine. I certainly liked and respected the film, but I felt that it was something of a flatline, without any sufficiently gut-punching moments (for the viewer, not the characters) to make it truly memorable. I specifically was looking for Ralph Fiennes, playing a man who unknowingly had an affair with a Nazi guard as a teenager, to have a killer “Oscar scene” near the end of the film, which he doesn’t.
This past weekend, I decided to give The Reader a second chance. It’s fascinating to learn which films grow on you with repeat viewings and which don’t. This year, I enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire and Milk more when I watched them again, while my love for Frost/Nixon faded a bit the second time. (And I simply don’t have enough time to sit through Benjamin Button again.) With The Reader, though, the difference was the most dramatic. This time, I found myself quite moved by it, particularly during Kate Winslet’s centerpiece courtroom scene in which the film’s surprising plot twist is revealed. By the end, I was a wreck.
Since then I’ve been asking myself what was different the second time. Did I miss something when I first watched it? Am I simply being swayed by the five Oscar nominations it received? I don’t think so, but I do believe my shifting opinion has to do with the awards strategy for the film. Back in November, the Weinstein Co. was campaigning Winslet for Best Supporting Actress, meaning there were no lead-acting candidates from the film. So I watched it as if it were more of an ensemble piece, which it clearly isn’t. With Winslet now firmly in my mind as a Best Actress contender, her performance really jumped out at me as the true anchor of the film. Though I remain a huge Revolutionary Road fan, I am in awe of what she was able to pull off in The Reader.
So do I suddenly think The Reader has a shot to top Slumdog Millionaire for Best Picture? Not a chance. But I’m more convinced than ever that Winslet will win Best Actress next Sunday. And if the actress was at all disappointed that she didn’t get nominated for her husband’s film (it seemed like it when she declined to do any interviews on nomination day), she’s certainly on board with her current campaign: She’s set to appear at a luncheon honoring the film in New York tomorrow. It’s been a punishing awards season for Winslet, but I’m feeling like it’s going to pay off in the end.
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I saw The Reader after the nominations came out, and I certainly found it to be much better than I had anticipated given the poor to mixed reviews it received. I’m still not convinced of the somewhat not credible plot twist, but I loved Kate’s performance and was also totally wrecked by the end, almost out of nowhere. If it moved me that much, it can’t be that bad, right?
I definitely think that films (at least good ones, god knows nobody should see trash like, oh i don’t know, adam sandler movies? more than once) deserve to be seeing at least twice to be fully appreciated. Though I always thought Kate was doing a leading role on The Reader and not a supporting and I think she’s amazing on it, I still believe the movie as a whole doesn’t hold up enough to be a “best” of anything. everything falls apart once she’s sentenced and it just sort of wanders about and it feels like the director didn’t know how to ended it.
You are incorrect. This is, quite simply, one of the worst films of the year. The “twist” could not have been more obvious, the sexual relationship with the boy could not have been portrayed with less regard for the disparity between their ages, and the subject matter has been explored with greater depth and intelligence at least a dozen times over. I love Kate Winslet, but if she wins an Oscar (finally) here, it will be the Denzel Washington in Training Day Oscar, as in “a lifetime achievement” award. This movie is awful, awful, awful, awful.
I’m going to be honest. I did not like this movie. At all. I never really FELT anything during it, nor did any part stay with me or move me. The actors did a fine job, for what it’s worth, but the movie as a whole was just…bland.
There were other movies this year that I felt were much more deserving of a nomination (“The Dark Knight” and “The Wrestler” come to mind). Oh well…
How you respond to a film depends on so many things: your mood at the time, the environment… A friend and I went to an advance screening of “Michael Clayton” and HATED it. As Clooney fans, we had high hopes, but the screening was a bit of a bust right from the start. Before the movie, it was announced that Tony Gilroy wouldn’t be doing the post-screening Q &A session. The crowd was obnoxious, the sound was terrible. The whole thing was awful. Of course, the next day, the movie opened and all the critics loved it. One of the best movies of the season! So I threw it on my Netflix queue and watched it again as soon as the DVD was available. And I loved it. I’ll be doing the same with “Slumdog.” I thought it was fine, but I’m not getting all the love for it. For me, the two movies I really loved this season are “Frost/Nixon” (and I can totally see how a 2nd viewing of that might not ellicit the same response) and “The Wrestler” (which is sitting in my Netflix Saved queue for another viewing ASAP).
Here’s my problem win Kate winning ‘Best Actress’ for this film. I’m comparing this performance too much with fellow nominee Meryl’s Streep oscar win in ‘Sophie’s Choice.’ Meryl earned hers with the ‘present’ Sophie and certainly the ‘past’ Sophie. The Reader – there’s a ‘present’ Hanna and a ‘future’ one. Had there been a ‘past’ Hanna – I’d find (spoiler alert) – the thought of Kate portraying a Nazi in the whole courtroom ‘prisoners trapped in a burning farm (or was it a church) – she would’ve been ludicrious trying to act that part. Ditto – the future ‘Hanna’ (#2 spoiler – her demise at the end wasn’t as heartfelt as Sophie’s demise. You FELT for Sophie passing because of her past – Hanna’s passing, to me, was – ’bout time this movie ended. The ending made me think too much of the other Meryl movie “The Bridge of MC” in that it was too love-story gooey. If I got to vote – I guess I’d want to see Kate screaming at poeple trapped in a barn to convince me. Post HoloC = MerylS
Let me say the from the outset I am a Danny Boyle fan, but I think Slumdog is this year’s Shakespeare in Love. It is a lightweight (but nice) movie that draws on the PC subconscious. The Reader, on the other hand, is a wonderful film through and through. Yes, as Ricky Gervais and EW (in this week’s issue) state, doing a concentration camp type film draws on other heart strings, the Reader is spectacularly made (and told) film. Ralph Fiennes was perfect in his part, which was an indecisive person, incapable of taking any risks after his affair; at least until he started recording those tapes for Winslet’s character while she was in prison. So while some might consider it poetic justice for Slumdog to win, just as Shakespeare in Love did over Saving Private Ryan, I hope the best film wins this year.
Although I was surprised that The Reader was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, I wasn’t disappointed. To me, The Reader was one of the best films of the year. Of course it’s an esoteric, arthouse film, which is why some people like it and some people don’t. (That’s why I was surprised it was nominated for Best Picture. It’s not your typical crowd-pleasing movie, which is what the Oscars usually nominate.) There are many reasons why I liked The Reader–especially the exploration of the feelings of guilt. It’s a very “angst”-like film–something that Kafka would’ve written. It makes sense that it was written by a German novelist.
I saw the film b4 the nominations and thought she was the lead and not supporting and while the film won’t win Best Picture it held my interest more than Revolutionary Road which I think the acadamy got right by only giving it a Best supporting actor nod which Winslet was great in that too but it was hard to go along because while Leo is a VERY good actor, the film needed a stronger mature presence to go full force. I love Meryl, but Winslet is due and the role is worth it.
I too did not have high expectations for The Reader based on its mixed reviews, but I was actually really moved by it. A really thought provoking film that sticks with you for a while afterwords. And I thought Kate Winslet was just spectacular and devastating as Hanna. I even cried at the end!
I’m not sorry this film was nominated for Best Picture, and I think Kate Winslet absolutely deserves to win an Oscar for her performance. No mere “career achievement” award here – she was incredible, and accomplished the impossible by making an unsympathetic character somehow sympathetic.
I adored the Reader when it came out and still do. When I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire (and I really wanted to hate it) this weekend, I liked it, but this movie was much better. The performances are nuanced, the pace is smooth and not as jarring as Slumdog, and I would vote for it for best picture. Kate rocked, and I hope she finally wins.
I love Kate in anything she does, but does she honestly have to get naked in ever film she does? I mean I dont mind looking at her boobs, but after awhile it just gets old. It seems that every film she is nominated for she has been fully naked! What gives?
I’m sorry, and maybe this is my dislike of the movie talking, but this almost feels like Karger is doing some last-minute shilling for The Reader. I only say this because he seems to hold some cred in covering the Oscar race…err, excuse me, “he who campaigns/spends the most wins” race and it would be highly disingenuous to see that misused. That being said, I’m going to stick my neck out there and say, per speculation in EW’s Weinstein piece, that The Reader will, in fact, overtake Slumdog and this will be the (highly unfortunate and God-help-us brief) return of Harvey. Wouldn’t be the first, or 30th, time strategy trumped quality.
Does anyone really care what wins the Oscar anymore? It’s so out of touch. Having said that…”The Dark Knight” was AWFUL and for once the Academy didn’t go with what was popular. Heath Ledger’s performance is overrated (it’s makeup, people) and he is dead. So why give awards to dead people who didn’t even give a great performance? Get real…
If you read the book beforehand, you know the twist is coming. It’s an average movie. How it probably beat out The Dark Knight for the fifth Best Picture slot (as has been widely circulated in rumors) is anyone’s guess (good campaigning by the Weinsteins), but it’s an average picture. The book is far more powerful and descriptive, whereas the movie lacks a certain moving emotion. And I still think Winslet is better in Revolutionary Road. But I hope she wins Best Actress.
I still do not undertsand the poor reviews The Reader has received. I found the film to be incredibly moving and well acted. I was riveted the enire time. Unlike with Benjamin Button where I was constantly looking at my watch to try to figure ou how much time was left. And The Reader stayed with me weeks after I saw it. No other movie this year has done that for me. I found The Reader to be was masterful all around. And Winslet’s performance was breathtaking. I loved Slumdog as well, but I think The Reader was the better movie.
Anyone who didn’t see that so-called “plot twist” coming an hour in advance clearly doesn’t get out to the movies very often.
It was good for Kate’s performance, and probably is better the second time around because you then know why she’s crying in the church, but that’s about it…
Best Picture? No way. And they keep bringing up Minghella & Pollack to try to win sympathy votes…
Hey, remember, Minghella and Pollack already have Oscars! Don’t fall for it!!!!
The Reader is terrible and totally undeserving of a Best Picture nomination, particularly when so many other worthy movies were overlooked. I read the book several years ago, but I didn’t have a strong reaction to it. For some reason, though, the movie gave me one. The movie demands the audience to be sympathetic of someone at least partially responsible for the deaths of a number of innocent people. I was not moved at all by any of the characters or their storylines. The “plot twist” is also ridiculous. The woman is more ashamed of that than of murdering innocent people? Whatever. This movie is the kind of self-important crap that the Academy always insists on rewarding. Please, Academy don’t turn this into this year’s Crash. Please make Milk or Slumdog Millionaire Best Picture. (BTW, I don’t mind if Kate Winslet wins Best Actress because she otherwise rocks. They do that lifetime achievement thing all the time, so why stop now?)
I saw The Reader this weekend, and while it’s not a perfect film, it’s sitting quite well with me and I have thought of it often. I think a second viewing will be in order sometime. Kate Winslet is a great actress and I hope she gets her oscar, because she deserves to have one (loved her in Revolutionary Road and really liked that film a lot as well). The only one of the 5 films that I would remove from the Best Picture nominees is Benjamin Button, which – agreed! – was way overlong and just plain overblown. I felt nothing for a single person onscreen. I’d have gone with Revolutionary Road in that slot myself, but I know I’m in the minority here.
I totally agree with. I was totally put off and bored by this movie. I’ll go a step further and say Kate Winslet doesn’t deserve an Oscar for this. She is not overdue for an Oscar. She is, what, 33? Streep all the way.
What?. She’s going to get the prize!. Please Dave Karger, shut up, or I’m going to give you a blow to the Head.
What’s next sunday?
I saw this with 6 friends this past weekend. I was wrecked, 2 others were wrecked. One was balling. And the other 2 ‘liked it’. Th entire theater (which was full) seemed to enjoy it. I, too, was surprised given it’s negative/mixed reviews.
All the comments about revisiting this film on 2nd viewing – please, this movie isn’t a piece of art, its more like a piece of…chocolat. Hoping it wins Best Picture over Slumdog…? I didn’t want to like Slumdog, but I was charmed. I WANTED these 2 kids to reconnect…did I feel the same way about the teenager in ‘The Reader’ reuniting with Hanna…absolutely not. Please, she was ‘hot for teacher’ if there was some ‘bond’ between the 2, it was lost on me. (I was probably distracted from scrutinizing Kate’s ample bosoms and backside…shown much to often for an ‘art film’. As for trolling out Minghella/Pollock – is that Weinstein still rattling their bones? He probably drove them in an early grave by demanding this piece of shlock be delivered, before it could’ve been ‘better.’ Calling ‘Slumdog’ this year’s ‘Shakespeare’ – is this implying an undeserved win with ‘The Reader’ as the ‘Private Ryan’ frontrunner? Please! The spindoctors are at work!
Lead Kate or Supporting Kate, it doesn’t matter. This movie is dull, and is trying SOOOO hard to be an “Oscar movie.” Pretentious without being entertaining, it’s the worst kind of “English Patient” movie, yuck. (And Kate’s been better in a ton of other movies, but you better believe she’s got Best Actress all wrapped up. It’s a shame it wasn’t for a better performance of a better role in a better movie.)
I for one still believe that Kate was better in RR than in The Reader. Meryl on the otherhand was brilliant in Doubt. I’m thinking this will be Streep’s year!
The film was very average but Kate Winslet’s performance deserves to win best actress because she was able to achieve so much in her acting just using her face. Her facial expressions in the church and courtroom scenes took my breath away. Unfortunately because people are small minded they will say “she just won because she lost 5 times before” okay maybe she did, but still don’t take away from the magnificent performance she gave which topped all the other nominees in her category. Love Meryl Streep but her performance in Doubt appears phony and like a caricature compared to Winslet’s complex and riveting acting the Reader. The film though was very average and I think the Wrestler should have gotten the nomination for best picture over it but Harvey Weinstein was able to to pull it off. Anyway WINSLET FOR THE OSCAR
The Reader definitely grows on you. I loved it the first time I saw it, but I think seeing it again would make me fully appreciate it. Kate Winslet is simply amazing in everything she does, and I’m glad this will finally win her a Best Actress Oscar. Though I do have to say I was disappointed that she wasn’t nominated for Revolutionary Road, as well…that movie is now one of my all-time favorites, and she and Leo were brilliant.
you win, Karger, I’ll give it another go.