The Reader is nominated for four Globes: Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress – Drama and Best Motion Picture – Drama.    The film is about a German lawyer (played as an adult by Ralph Fiennes), and the evolution of his relationship with an older woman (played by Kate Winslet).  Starting with a chance meeting that occurs when he was 15, their relationship is physical, poltical, emotional, and professional as they pass through different stages of their lives.

Before I continue, let me say I’m a Kate Winslet fan.  It didn’t start with Titantic or any of her serious roles though.  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is still one of my favorite films of the past five years, and she was a big part of that.  In this film, her character is revealed to be a former Nazi concentration camp guard, who is eventually ‘outed’ and made to answer for her past.  There’s a scene during her trial where two characters debate: are we meant to sympathize with her or demonize her?  I’m not sure if the film takes a strong enough stand one way or the other.  Playing a role that almost begs to be overplayed, Winslet keeps it human, rarely yelling or even raising her voice.  Add another notch to her ‘best actress of her generation’ belt.

The Reader is definitely not a film for everybody.  I don’t even know yet if this is Kate Winslet’s best performance of this awards season (Revolutionary Road).  But it has a chance to make a little noise, so if that interests you, check it out.