Review of The Reader (2008) by Taka D — 26 Jun 2011
Bernhard Schlink's erotic and economical novel comes to life on the screen, and overall, it's well done. The book is so compactly written, I had to ask myself, how can they get two hours of film out of it? The short answer: music.
Leaving aside Kate Winslet's (deserving) Oscar-winning performance for a second, the score of the film carried it through the gaps in time and the silences between the characters keeping secrets from each other.
I thought the casting for Michael was a bit off - too old for the young lead, too young to be a college student later - and it was a bit off-putting that the climax came earlier in the film (about halfway) than in the book (three-quarters).
But in the end, this isn't about comparing the book to the movie. The film stands well on its own, and though it will seem a little slow to those who have not read the book, the score and the acting will leave you much more happy than not.
This review of The Reader (2008) was written by Taka D on 26 Jun 2011.
The Reader has generally received positive reviews.
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