It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial. Despite having both Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet in it 'The Reader' was pretty damn weird to say the least especially the whole romance between Winslet and the young boy was totally off. The make up that they used on her in order to make her look older is probably the only good thing about the movie but even that? Was not enough for me to care. (0/10)

Absolutely amazing motion picture. This one will give you a flurry of emotions. Kate Winslet for sure did one of her career best acting in this movie. Her male counterpart did excel in his "kid" role. A must watch movie for all those who love meaningful drama.

While taking a German course in undergrad, I read Bernhard Schlink's 1995 novel "Der Vorleser" (which more accurately translates to "the narrator"). I naturally thought that it would make an interesting movie. Sure enough, they eventually made one. It took me several years before I got around to seeing it, but now I have.The main gist of "The Reader" centers on the complexity of Hanna Schmitz as a person, but also on responsibility for one's actions. Hanna might have been merely a cog in the machine, but that doesn't excuse her deeds. Indeed, part of the purpose of writing the novel was so that Germany could collectively accept responsibility for its actions.Kate Winslet (who won a well deserved Oscar for the decidedly unglamorous role) portrays Hanna as a tragic figure, someone who might have not fully understood what she was doing but probably should have, and so she did eventually have to face the consequences. In the end, it doesn't matter whether or not Hanna understood what she was doing; she still made the choice to do it.Ralph Fiennes plays Hanna's paramour as an adult, doing what he can for her (while knowing full well what she did). Nonetheless, the movie belongs to Winslet. This is another masterpiece from Stephen Daldry, also the director of "Billy Elliot", "The Hours", and "Trash" (about some boys in Brazil's slums).

A boy and A woman meet out of life's routine chaos. Its as if life brought them together for a purpose. Boy fulfills his sexual fantasies and also gets mother like love from the woman. While the woman gets a companion that she always needed, for cheer n for forgetting her pains. The story is of happiness till here. Then life moves on. They part. After a few years meet again at a trial. Boy comes to know that the women is convicted for crime but she did all that in ignorance as she could not read n write. Here SHAME is the problem. Because of the shame she can't admit that she is illiterate n save herself. Because of shame the boy cant admit his love and care for the women. she spends 20 years in prison. She is learning to read n boy helps her out by sending audio tapes of his reading. But all these years they don't meet n never express love. Before her release from jail they meet. The meeting is very much dry with formalities talk. She is depressed with the meeting. the guilt about the wrongs that she did in past amplifies further because of lack of love from her lover and she hangs herself. In short...Excess guilt, excess shame lead to self destructive behavior. Guilt, shame killed something that was so beautiful, so divine between two peopleThe movie is very well done. the actors, scenes everything is fine. some "very realistic acting" you can almost live in it!!!