The Reader

I went into this movie with low expectations. I had heard that it wasn't "Best Picture worthy" so I thought that this would #5 on the list for me. I left thinking that if it were to win Best Picture I would not be disapointed. I thought it was a great movie. Any movie that could make you compassionate for a Nazi who killed hundreds of Jews has to be good. It starts with a young Michael Berg (David Cross) who has an affair with a woman (Kate Winslet) for a summer. He then goes to law school and is watching a trial of women who killed hundreds of Jews on a death march during WWII. One of the women is Kate Winslet's character and he becomes distraught over whether to help her or not. The story also parallels with the older Michael Berg who is emotionally disconnected with everyone including his daughter and is looking for closure from this affair. Overall I give this movie a 3.5 out of 5 and put it a close second behind Slumdog Millionaire.