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The Reader

  • 2008
  • R
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
264K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,058
38
Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, and David Kross in The Reader (2008)
Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, a law student re-encounters his former lover (Winslet) as she testifies in a war-crimes trial.
Play trailer2:31
9 Videos
99+ Photos
Steamy RomanceDramaMysteryRomance

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-crim... Read allPost-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.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.

  • Director
    • Stephen Daldry
  • Writers
    • David Hare
    • Bernhard Schlink
  • Stars
    • Kate Winslet
    • Ralph Fiennes
    • Bruno Ganz
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    264K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,058
    38
    • Director
      • Stephen Daldry
    • Writers
      • David Hare
      • Bernhard Schlink
    • Stars
      • Kate Winslet
      • Ralph Fiennes
      • Bruno Ganz
    • 517User reviews
    • 297Critic reviews
    • 58Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 26 wins & 48 nominations total

    Videos9

    The Reader: Trailer
    Trailer 2:31
    Watch The Reader: Trailer
    The Reader
    Clip 1:15
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    The Reader
    Clip 1:02
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    The Reader
    Clip 0:57
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    The Reader
    Clip 0:54
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    The Reader
    Clip 1:38
    Watch The Reader
    The Reader: Selection Process
    Clip 0:43
    Watch The Reader: Selection Process
    The Reader: Jail
    Clip 0:35
    Watch The Reader: Jail
    The Reader
    Interview 31:10
    Watch The Reader

    Photos199

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    Top cast64

    Edit
    Kate Winslet
    Kate Winslet
    • Hanna Schmitz
    Ralph Fiennes
    Ralph Fiennes
    • Michael Berg
    Bruno Ganz
    Bruno Ganz
    • Professor Rohl
    Jeanette Hain
    Jeanette Hain
    • Brigitte
    David Kross
    David Kross
    • Young Michael Berg
    Susanne Lothar
    Susanne Lothar
    • Carla Berg
    Alissa Wilms
    Alissa Wilms
    • Emily Berg
    Florian Bartholomäi
    Florian Bartholomäi
    • Thomas Berg
    Friederike Becht
    Friederike Becht
    • Angela Berg
    Matthias Habich
    Matthias Habich
    • Peter Berg
    Frieder Venus
    • Doctor
    Marie-Anne Fliegel
    • Hanna's Neighbour
    • (as Marie Anne Fliegel)
    Hendrik Arnst
    • Woodyard Worker
    Rainer Sellien
    Rainer Sellien
    • Teacher
    Torsten Michaelis
    • Sports Master
    Moritz Grove
    • Holger
    Joachim Tomaschewsky
    • Stamp Dealer
    Barbara Philipp
    • Waitress
    • Director
      • Stephen Daldry
    • Writers
      • David Hare
      • Bernhard Schlink
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      To avoid legal problems, the crew waited until after David Kross' 18th birthday, July 4, 2008, to film his sex scenes.
    • Goofs
      When Michael visits New York in 1988, the cab he is in is followed by modern-day cars including a 2000s GMC SUV behind all the period vehicles.
    • Quotes

      Michael: I'm not frightened. I'm not frightened of anything. The more I suffer, the more I love. Danger will only increase my love. It will sharpen it, it will give it spice. I will be the only angel you need. You will leave life even more beautiful than you entered it. Heaven will take you back and look at you and say: Only one thing can make a soul complete, and that thing is love.

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits, other than the studio logo.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Musik liegt in der Luft
      Written by Heinz Gietz, Kurt Feltz

      Performed by Caterina Valente

      Courtesy of M.A.T. Musice Theme Licensing Ltd.

    User reviews517

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Never underestimate the power of guilt
    Kate Winslet, I absolutely adore her, she's my favorite actress of all time. I still can't believe that she hadn't won an Oscar, her first nomination was in 1995 with Sense and Sensibility. Finally after 14 long years, she finally won the coveted award with the movie The Reader. I finally was able to see this movie the other day and it blew me away, I'm still debating if this really was my favorite Kate Winslet performance, but once again with a strong cast telling a powerful story, The Reader was definitely one of the best films out of 2008. So many holocaust films have been made, it's hard to make another that stands out, but we really haven't had a story where the Nazi guards were on trial. A lot of people debate if this movie is trying too hard to push sympathy on Kate Winslet's character, but my love for this film is to just show that they were human as well, hard to believe, but that our mothers, sisters, friends, whoever could have done something so shameful.

    Michael Berg in 1995 Berlin watches an S-Bahn pass by, flashing back to a tram in 1958 Neustadt. A teenage Michael gets off because he is feeling sick and wanders around the streets afterwards, finally pausing in the entryway of a nearby apartment building where he vomits. Hanna Schmitz, the tram conductor, comes in and assists him in returning home. The 36 year old Hanna seduces and begins an affair with the 15 year old boy. During their liaisons, at her apartment, he reads to her literary works he is studying. After a bicycling trip, Hanna learns she is being promoted to a clerical job at the tram company. She abruptly moves without leaving a trace. The adult Michael, a lawyer, at Heidelberg University law school in 1966. As part of a special seminar taught by Professor Rohl, a camp survivor, he observes a trial of several women who were accused of letting 300 Jewish women die in a burning church when they were SS guards on the death march following the 1944 evacuation of Auschwitz. Hanna is one of the defendants. Stunned, Michael visits a former camp himself. The trial divides the seminar, with one student angrily saying there is nothing to be learned from it other than that evil acts occurred and that the older generation of Germans should kill themselves for their failure to act then. But Michael is conflicted on what to do, if to speak out on Hannah's behalf on some of her innocence in the murders or keep quiet.

    This is one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen, it was so incredible and just heart breaking. One of the things I respected about the film was the way they handled the awkward "love story" between Michael and Hannah, she's older, he's younger, but it's not even a perverted thing, so strange to say that. I don't know how to put it exactly, but their connection was real and in some sense they both needed each other. If you have the chance to see this movie, I seriously suggest that you take it, the powerful performances really make this film captivating. The story is so heart wrenching and painful, but was told so well. Kate now finally has the award she's deserved for so long and pulls in a terrific performance with The Reader.

    10/10
    • Smells_Like_Cheese
    • Jun 16, 2009
    • Permalink

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    FAQ3

    • Is "The Reader" based on a book?
    • Is this movie in English or German with subtitles?
    • Where in Germany is the movie set?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 30, 2009 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (Germany)
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Greek
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • Người Đọc Sách
    • Filming locations
      • Kirnitzschtal, Sächsische Schweiz, Saxony, Germany
    • Production companies
      • The Weinstein Company
      • Mirage Enterprises
      • Studio Babelsberg
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $32,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,194,407
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $168,051
      • Dec 14, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $108,902,486
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 4 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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