The film "Reader": reviews, actors and roles

There are films that make an indelible impression. The film "The Reader" refers to those. Reviews about it are entirely positive. The "reader" is one of those stories that, it seems, can not be imagined. Was this really all, or is it another successful fantasy of a writer and director?

The creators of the picture

The film "Reader" (2008) was filmed based on Bernhard Schlink's novel of the same name. The writer partly painted the image of the protagonist of the work with himself, but the events described in the book are still a fiction, albeit quite plausible. The book so touched the hearts of readers that it became close and understandable simultaneously to the audience of Europe and America. The novel "The Reader" is the only work of the German author who got into the rating of the best books from The New York Times.

British director Stephen Daldry also remained impressed by Schlink's novel, so in the early 2000s he decided to film a bestseller. I must say, Daldry is generally an amateur of adaptations: the film "Watch" he shot based on the novel by Michael Cunningham, and "eerily loud and exceedingly close" - based on the same name by Jonathan Foer.

The picture "Reader" was produced by Sidney Pollack and Anthony Minghella. However, shortly before the premiere, both producers died. Then the project was handed to Donna Gilotti and Redmond Morris. For the camera stood a multiple nominee for the "Oscar" - the operator Roger Dickins.

Short story

The protagonist of the film is a representative of the German youth of the post-war years (meaning the Second World War) named Michael Berg. On the street in 1958, Michael is only 15 years old. Once on the way home he becomes very ill, and he falls in the street. Passers-by pass by indifferently, and only conductor Hanna Schmitz is helping him.

After recovery (it turned out that the main character picked up scarlet fever) Michael comes to Hannah home to thank for the help. Then Berg comes to the 36-year-old woman again and again, gradually they have a romance. Hannah constantly asked to read her young friend her books. Once she disappeared from his life.

Michael met the next time Schmitz in the late 60's: he went to court to see the trial of the supervisors from Auschwitz and among the convicts saw Hannah. She was sentenced to life imprisonment. Berg did not dare to visit personally his old acquaintance, but he wrote her a few tapes, reading well-known literary works. With the help of these cassettes and the prison library, Hannah learned to read, until that moment she was completely illiterate.

For exemplary behavior, the woman decided to release her before the deadline, but the day before she left prison she hung herself in her own cell. Throughout the film, Michael Berg tried to comprehend the time and deeds that had to be committed to the older "military" generation. And as a result came to the fact that all are worthy of forgiveness.

"Reader": actors and roles. Kate Winslet in the role of Hannah Schmitz

Initially, the role of Hannah Schmitz was entrusted to Nicole Kidman. But the actress became pregnant before the shooting. The bearing of the child was difficult, so the movie star refused the role.

Then Kate Winslet introduced the project. Loud glory came to the singer in 1997, when James Cameron presented the legendary "Titanic". Then for a long time the actress starred in the films of the "B" class. In 2004, she again announced herself loudly, taking part in the project "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with Jim Carrey. Among many successful films of Mrs. Winslet, one can mention the comedy "Holiday on Exchange" and the drama "The Road of Change". In 2014 and 2015, Actress took part in the filming of the movie "Divergent", playing cruel dictator Janine Matthews.

Performers of the role of Michael Berg

The film "Reader", about which reviews in 2008 were published in the best world newspapers, made a furor also because it appeared Rafe Fiennes. The fact is that the actor infrequently pampers fans with screen works, since he prefers to work in the theater. Nevertheless, Rafe managed to light up in projects that are significant for Hollywood: Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List", Anthony Minghella's "English patient", Wayne Wan's "Maid of the maid", and also franchises about Harry Potter and Agent 007.

Rafe Fiennes played the role of lawyer Michael Berg at a more mature age. And the beginning actor David Cross was entrusted with the role of Berg in his youth.

David Cross is a real German, a well-known actor in Germany. However, the experience of filming in Hollywood projects for Cross ended on the project "Reader". A little later, David attempted to move to London, but a year later abandoned this idea.

Other actors

In the filming of the film "Reader" also participated Lena Olin - a Swedish singer. Olin got two roles at once: Ilana Mather (former prisoner of Auschwitz) and her daughter Rosa. Lena Olin also starred in the movie "Remember Me" with Robert Pattinson, in the movie "Anesthesia" with Jessica Alba and the melodrama "Casanova" with Heath Ledger.

Caroline Herfurth is a popular German actress. She began her career in youth films. In 2006, appeared in the movie "Perfume", becoming the first victim of the main character. One of the most famous roles played by Caroline Herfurth is the role of Jew Gretel Bergman in the drama "Berlin 36".

Also in the filming was a Swiss Bruno Ganz ("Baader-Meinhof complex"), Volker Bruch ("Red Baron"), Alexandra Lara ("Baader-Meinhof complex").

The film "Reader": reviews of critics and viewers

On the IMDb website, Stephen Daldry's picture is rated at 8 points. This means high trust, which caused the audience the film "Reader". The responses to the usual audience are mostly positive: there is a non-standard plot, a talented game by Kate Winslet and Rafe Fiennes, as well as a talented camera work. For the screened image of Hannah Schmitz, Keith Winslet received her long-awaited Oscar.

Negative feedback on the picture comes mainly from fans of the original work of Bernhard Schlink. Not seeing the screen version of some bright moments from the book, readers felt disappointed. Especially they were angered by the accent, which the director shifted from social and political problems towards sexual relations. But even with such errors, the film is still worth watching.