KL>> Loved this movie! I'm not usually a big fan of Kate Winslet, in fact I can't think of any movie that I've really liked with her in it (and yes, that includes Titanic). However, that all changed with The Reader. She plays a very tough role and does it very well. I found myself empathetic with her character which is surprising once you learn about the character's background. But she manages to pull it off and given her Oscar win for Best Actress other people think so as well. Everyone in the movie is good and the story is beautifully told. I'd say this is a must-see for anyone looking for good dialogue and a good story that makes you think a bit.
KB>> We saw this movie awhile ago, maybe before the New Year, but reading about the Obama administration’s challenges with the torture tactics employed by the Bush administration has inspired me to get at it and write this review.
The Reader asks so may questions about our society, ourselves and those we meet through-out our lives that I don’t know if I can remember them all.
The questioning starts with: is it wrong to carry out acts when you don't know better and you’ve been given a job by someone you might never have met? Are you to be held accountable if you participate in actions that are a precursor to a devastating tragedy? When is a job just a job, or a means of existence, and not a moral obligation? How proud are you? To what end will you take that pride? Are you too proud or afraid to admit publicly who you love? Are you less of a compassionate human being than the person that was ‘just doing what they were told to do’ if you don’t help someone with the knowledge you have?
Lots of questions and just as many different answers.
Kate Winslet deserved the Oscar and you deserve to see this movie.