The Reader

I finally saw The Reader this past Wednesday. Kate Winslet is one of my favorite actors and I have heard mixed perceptions of this movie. So of course I was excited to see it and form my own opinion.

Basically, I'm not sure if LOVED it. I liked it. I appreciated it. But I don't think I loved it.

Why I liked it:
1. Kate Winslet is a great actress (obviously with her Oscar)
2. I was very impressed with rookie actor David Kross
3. I usually have a soft spot for the tragic love stories

Why I appreciated it:
1. Somewhat of a non-linear storyline. Thank you for attempting to exercise my brain Hollywood.
2. It gave a Nazi human qualities vs. portraying them as lifeless monsters.
3. It showed how different generations of Germans comprehended the holocaust.

Why I didn't love it:
1. Her flaw of being illiterate was spoon-fed to the audience. It was not a surprise even though it was supposed to be.
2. I would have been more interested in seeing her thoughts and how she became a cold guard who assisted in the final solution. The illiteracy seemed to be a more important issue to film makers/author.
3. Tragic women always kill themselves! I am becoming numb to suicide in film/play plots. It never surprises me!

Well to be fair, my problem with the plot line is more of a fault of the author of The Reader (what the film is obviously based off from). I just can't get over why women can never solve their problems or just deal with them. The Reader continued the helpless woman stereotype.

As for improving stereotypes, I really liked how there were characters who were conflicted about how Hanna (Winslet) should be punished and the holocaust itself. And we also saw that she is indeed human like the rest of us and has feelings, regrets, emotions and confusions. It did not end in a lecture or the expected revenge catharsis. I felt the story was truthful.

What I found interesting was a passage in Wikipedia about the criticism of the story:

"Schlink (author) has said, 'in Israel and New York the older generation liked the book' but those of his own generation were more likely to criticize Michael (and his) inability to fully condemn Hanna. He added (also in The Guardian), 'I've heard that criticism several times but never from the older generation, people who have lived through it.'"