Review of The Reader (2008) by Hanneguacamole — 30 Jul 2015

The Reader dealt with the Holocaust without actually dealing with it. It took an individual experience and skated around the issues with its own, seemingly less powerful one. It had the potential to be more than a story, but instead it took the lesser way out – avoiding the true pain with the shame of a former Nazi's literacy.

The Holocaust was so huge, but the problem facing Hanna (Kate Winslet) is so trivial in comparison. She had the opportunity to free herself from prison, yet her embarrassment kept her in. This is a storyline that was supposed to evoke emotion, yet I found myself not caring at all. I should have been conflicted, but instead I didn't care about her fate – much like the older Michael (Ralph Phiennes) didn't seem to either. There was passion and intrigue in the state of the affair, but it fizzled as soon as the lovers were separated. At times I felt like we were missing out by not seeing these events play out; we just saw the aftermath.

Illiteracy is a real problem – one that definitely should be addressed, but perhaps not in a way that erases the struggles of those hurt in the concentration camps? Hanna seemed to prey on the prisoners the same way she preyed on Michael. Rewarding them for reading to her – albeit in much different ways. She was a predator, and in the end I didn't have any emotion towards her. I should have felt disgust, perhaps even sympathy, but it fell flat. "She never intended to leave," and I can't bring myself to care.