The Reader is still playing in theaters near me.  It will be released on DVD in April 2009, so I was tempted to wait and buy the DVD.  It was an excellent movie, so the DVD may still end up in my collection.  I was a bit surprised that the theater was mostly full for a matinee showing.  It appears that this movie continues to maintain its appeal.

Going into this film, I had heard and read a lot about it.  I knew some of the basic premises of the film without exposure to the details.  I was also aware that Kate Winslet won the award for Best Actress in this film.  Although I agree that Winslet was exceptional, I did not feel that her performance is what made this film great.  All of the elements of this film come together in a complimentary nature to make the individual pieces seem greater than they really are.  The depth of the dialogue and characters were especially central facets of this film.

So was The Reader a love story?  It certainly was.  It explored a unique life altering relationship between a teenage boy (Michael Berg, played by David Kross) and an older woman (Hanna Schmitz, played by Kate Winslet) nearly twenty years his senior.  But this relationship is far from a tryst.  The relationship shows signs of strain...yet there are admissions by both parties that they are in love.  Although steamy and sensual, the relationship seems at the same time delicate and emotional.  Prior to engaging in sexual relationships, the young lover reads to his elder.  It is an act that evokes deep emotions at times.

The Reader also explores morality.  The obvious moral issue in play might be the concept that a fifteen year old boy is having a relationship with a woman old enough to be his mother.  The mild seduction seems to require little prodding by either lover.  The relationship seems destined to evolve from the very beginning.  With the introduction of Hanna's storied past, Michael is forced to confront the depth of her previous actions.  To include revelations that Michael was not the first person Hanna had asked to read to her.  The depth of the issues that surface create a conundrum that Michael must face, this includes knowledge that could seriously affect the outcome of Hanna's pending trial.

Michael is in law school at the time he finds himself faced with Hanna's history.  She had disappeared suddenly years before, and now he had the opportunity to help her.  In discussing these issues with his classmates and professor, several key issues that address the broader story become apparent.  The professor talks about the gap between morality and law.  Another student needles Michael and addresses the issue of selective prosecution.  This convergence of legal and moral issues further complicates Michael's perception of the events he is confronted with.

Later in life, Michael (played now by Ralph Fiennes) finds that he requires closure.  While finding his peace, it appears that Michael is headed one direction when he actually seems to be simply doing what he should.  It becomes obvious that Michael still has split feelings.  His sometimes cold demeanor reminded me of the Sting song I'll Be Wrapped Around Your Fingerwhere his literary references help tell the story of a "young apprentice" who turns the tables on his "master."  It seems that Michael feels obligated, torn and resolved to handle matters with a bit of distance.  This transpires in a very quiet scene, where proxemics and body language say as much as the brief dialogue.  The interaction of these characters seems to try and reconcile the dichotomy of the passionate life-altering love with far-reaching moral consequences (unrelated to the age issue).

I found Ralph Fiennes performance to be every bit as riveting as Kate Winslet.  I also thought that David Kross was had a tremendous chemistry with Winslet.  I totally believed the attraction between the two, which was tastefully yet passionately displayed.  The tension was often palpable.  All three of these primary roles were exceptional, combining with the unparalleled writing, this film was bound to be a blockbuster.  I would certainly not single out Winslet for her performance, which was solid, because it takes away from the noteworthy performances of her two male co-stars.  The acting was superb on all counts.

Returning briefly to the sex scenes, it should be noted that this film probably should be viewed by an adult audience.  I would have been very uncomfortable if I had been in mixed company while watching this film.  Kate Winslet shows bush, breast and buttocks.  David Kross (who turned eighteen while shooting this film) shows full frontal male nudity.  Not much is left to the imagination.  The sex scenes are a central part of this film and are found in abundance.  They are not gratuitous in any sense of the word...they absolutely belong in the film.  But caution should be considered when considering what age cutoff would be appropriate for this film.  The Reader received an R Rating by the MPAA.

I found The Reader to be intellectually stimulating, visually stunning and emotionally far reaching.  The issues covered span a range of emotional topics while handling those issues with delicacy and taste.  The combination of exceptional writing, directing and acting worked together to create a phenomenal piece of cinema.  The Reader earns the full five stars out of a possible five.

Recommended: Yes