The Reader (2008): a review

I just finished watching The Reader, a movie from 2008 starring a brilliant Kate Winslet (has she ever been less than brilliant I wonder), Ralph Fiennes and David Kross. Looking for reviews on the internet, I was amazed reading that so many people consider Hanna as a monster. I thought the whole point of the movie was to show that nobody is a monster. There are no good or evil people, just mixtures of both. Our world is not black or white, and it is definitely not grey. No, we live in a multicolored universe.
Haven't we all had secrets in our lives? Both protagonists have secrets and because they want to hide them, they do wrong things. The question we should ask is not why they did these things, but whether they can live with the shame, the guilt and the consequences.  

I think it was well put in the movie that the law (our justice) is a very narrow and shallow thing. We do not judge people on the basis of morality, but on the basis of legality. And to make it more difficult: the legalitily of a certain period. What was considered right 50 years ago is considered wrong or racist or despicable in the 21st century.

The movie is dark, disturbing and doesn't provide answers. But it will make you think about your own decisions. I never read the book by Bernard Schlink but I'm sure I will soon.

In Bruges

In Bruges is a very funny dark comedy that uses the setting of Bruges perfectly. A romantic (yet dead) city crawling with tourists is the perfect place to put two opposite characters against each other. The surreal events (dwarfs, prostitutes, drug dealers and murderers) result in a fun mix of comedy, drama, and suspense. I can imagine this is not everybody's cup of tea, but i give it 3,5 stars

Quote from In Bruges:

Chlo: There's never been a classic movie made in Bruges until now.
Ray: Of course there hasn't. It's a shithole.
Chlo: Bruges is my home town, Ray.
Ray: Well, it's still a shithole.
Chlo: It's not a shithole!
Ray: What? Even midgets have to take drugs to stick it.
Chlo: Okay. So, you've insulted my home town. You were doing really well, Raymond. Why don't you tell me some Belgium jokes while you're at it?
Ray: Don't know any Belgium jokes, and if I did I think I'd have the good sense not to... hang on. Is Belgium with all those child abuse murders lately? I do know a Belgium joke. What's Belgium famous for? Chocolates and child abuse, and they only invented the chocolates to get to the kids.
[Ray sees Chloe's shocked expression]
Ray: What?
Chlo: One of the girls they murdered was a friend of mine.
Ray: [after a long pause, feeling bad] I'm sorry, Chloe.
Chlo: One of the girls they murdered wasn't a friend of mine. I just wanted to make you feel bad. And it worked! Quite well.

Bruges, the most well-preserved medieval city in the whole of Belgium, is a welcoming destination for travellers from all over the world. But for hit men Ray and Ken, it could be their final destination; a difficult job has resulted in the pair being ordered right before Christmas by their London boss Harry to go and cool their heels in the storybook Flemish city for a couple of weeks. Very much out of place amidst the gothic architecture, canals, and cobbled streets, the two hit men fill their days living the lives of tourists. Ray, still haunted by the bloodshed in London, hates the place, while Ken, even as he keeps a fatherly eye on Ray's often profanely funny exploits, finds his mind and soul being expanded by the beauty and serenity of the city

In Bruges

In Bruges is a very funny dark comedy that uses the setting of Bruges perfectly. A romantic (yet dead) city crawling with tourists is the perfect place to put two opposite characters against each other. The surreal events (dwarfs, prostitutes, drug dealers and murderers) result in a fun mix of comedy, drama, and suspense. I can imagine this is not everybody's cup of tea, but i give it 3,5 stars

Quote from In Bruges:

Chlo: There's never been a classic movie made in Bruges until now.
Ray: Of course there hasn't. It's a shithole.
Chlo: Bruges is my home town, Ray.
Ray: Well, it's still a shithole.
Chlo: It's not a shithole!
Ray: What? Even midgets have to take drugs to stick it.
Chlo: Okay. So, you've insulted my home town. You were doing really well, Raymond. Why don't you tell me some Belgium jokes while you're at it?
Ray: Don't know any Belgium jokes, and if I did I think I'd have the good sense not to... hang on. Is Belgium with all those child abuse murders lately? I do know a Belgium joke. What's Belgium famous for? Chocolates and child abuse, and they only invented the chocolates to get to the kids.
[Ray sees Chloe's shocked expression]
Ray: What?
Chlo: One of the girls they murdered was a friend of mine.
Ray: [after a long pause, feeling bad] I'm sorry, Chloe.
Chlo: One of the girls they murdered wasn't a friend of mine. I just wanted to make you feel bad. And it worked! Quite well.

Bruges, the most well-preserved medieval city in the whole of Belgium, is a welcoming destination for travellers from all over the world. But for hit men Ray and Ken, it could be their final destination; a difficult job has resulted in the pair being ordered right before Christmas by their London boss Harry to go and cool their heels in the storybook Flemish city for a couple of weeks. Very much out of place amidst the gothic architecture, canals, and cobbled streets, the two hit men fill their days living the lives of tourists. Ray, still haunted by the bloodshed in London, hates the place, while Ken, even as he keeps a fatherly eye on Ray's often profanely funny exploits, finds his mind and soul being expanded by the beauty and serenity of the city