The Reader








Director - Stephen Daldry

Genre - Drama/Romance


Kate Winslet takes her kit off again. Wow. Anybody surprised at that? We think she actually has a special clause in each of her film contract which stipulates that she must have at least one scene requiring her to be completely free of fabric. It's like if she was in the 'X-Men' that would be her power. To numb people with her nudeness. Anyway, this film which won her a Best Actress Oscar (maybe the Academy felt she gave her all and more) features her as a lonely woman who seduces and beds one of the Jonas Brothers (no, kidding). Kathy Bates would have played a more convincing 'lonely woman', not covergirl material Winslet.

2.5 STARS!

All about The Reader

Comments

CavedogRob said…
Nice review! Unfortunately I haven't seen it yet so I can't agree with you...I mean judge for myself!
Shubhajit said…
Well, it would have required a lot (and I mean a lot) for the guy to bed Kathy Bates ;)

Anyway, jokes apart, I felt it was a decent enough movie. The only problem I had with it was, the director left too many strings untied (pun not intended), thus making the story a tad ambiguous for the viewers. But Kate, in my opinion, was more than just good - that cold, detached look made her portrayal that much more searing.
Hahaha! Point taken Shubhajit. Kathy Bates IS a tad far removed from the usual Mrs Robinson type.

We also agree with you that it left many things unanswered. Examples:-
1) Why did she feels so embarrassed of her illiteracy? It's not as if she was found to be a whore.
2) There weren't any back story in relation to her past or her family. Did she just appear out of thin air and liked young boys?

Questions like these hampered our understanding of the character and made us unsympathetic towards her refusal to save herself. She could learn a thing or two from Miss Paris Hilton if she was living in these times...now that is a girl without shame. What is mere illiteracy compared to being responsible for making pornography glamorous in the eyes of impressionable young girls?
ignis fatuus said…
I couldn't finish the movie after two sittings. It bored me, and then i start thinking about all the nominations and feeling pity about my inability. At least, i could just comfortably give the movie up reading your notes.
That's a right move mate! :)