What age rating is The Reader?

In Spain, The Reader is not recommended for children under 18 years old.

When does The Reader come out in Spain?

The Reader hits Spanish cinemas on February 13, 2009.

How much did The Reader gross?

The Reader grossed $108.9M worldwide on a budget of $32.0M.

What is The Reader based on?

The Reader is based on The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.

Where was The Reader filmed?

The Reader was filmed in Berlin, Germany, Cologne.

The Reader

Name: The Reader
Director: Stephen Daldry
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: 2008-12-10
Duration: 2 h 4 min
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, David Kross, Lena Olin, Bruno Ganz

2008

Become a fan of its genres:

7.5/10

Release Date

10/12/2008

Popularity

🍅 Rotten Tomatoes

63%

🎬 Internet Movie Database

76%

Ⓜ️ Metacritic

58%

Behind the mystery lies a truth that will make him question everything he knows.

Germany, 1995. Michael Berg, a lawyer, says goodbye to the woman who spent the night at his apartment. As he looks out the window, a streetcar passing by brings back an episode from his adolescence. That memory takes him to Neustadt, a provincial town, in 1958. Michael is 15 years old and, on his way home from school, feels sick on the streetcar. The conductor, Hanna Schmitz, who is 36 years old, helps him. Weeks later, fully recovered from scarlet fever, Michael decides to visit her with flowers to thank her, at his mother's urging. The film is directed by Stephen Daldry, with Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet and David Kross in the cast.

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Facts about The Reader

Releases, age ratings, box office, post-credit scenes and more.

Post-credits sceneNone

Age ratingNot recommended for viewers under 18 years old

Spain releaseFebruary 13, 2009

Worldwide premiereDecember 10, 2008

Runtime2 h 4 min

Original languageEnglish

Original titleThe Reader

CountriesGermany, United States

Production companiesThe Weinstein Company, Mirage Enterprises, Studio Babelsberg

Budget$32.0M

Worldwide box office$108.9M

Box office in the U.S.$34.2M

Return on investmentx3.4 Box office hit

Based onThe Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Trailer views950K

More ratings

3.6/5Letterboxd75/100Trakt7.4/10Metacritic (público)3.5/4Roger Ebert

Awards for The Reader

1Oscars won

26total awards

48total nominations

Oscar 1 5 nom.Golden Globe 1 4 nom.BAFTA 1 4 nom.SAG 1 1 nom.

Awards won

2009Academy Award for Best Actress · Kate Winslet
2008Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture · Kate Winslet
2009BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role · Kate Winslet
2009Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role · Kate Winslet
2009World Soundtrack Award for Discovery of the Year · Nico Muhly
2009European Film Award for Best Actress · Kate Winslet
2008Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress · Kate Winslet
2008London Film Critics Circle Award for Actress of the Year · Kate Winslet
2008Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress · Kate Winslet
2008San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress · Kate Winslet

See 2 more

2008Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress · Kate Winslet
2008Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress · Kate Winslet

Nominations

2009Academy Award for Best Picture
2009Academy Award for Best Director
2009Academy Award for Best Actress
2009Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay
2009Academy Award for Best Cinematography
2008Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama

See 29 more

2008Golden Globe Award for Best Director
2008Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
2008Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
2009BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
2009BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
2009BAFTA Award for Best Direction
2009BAFTA Award for Best Film
2009Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
2009MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance
2009London Film Critics Circle Award for Actress of the Year
2009London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actress of the Year
2009David di Donatello for Best European Film
2009World Soundtrack Award for Discovery of the Year
2009European Film Award for Best Film
2009European Film Award for Best Actor
2009European Film Award for Best Actress
2008Satellite Award for Best Director
2008Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
2008Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture
2008Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
2008Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
2008Satellite Award for Best Film
2008Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress
2008American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
2008San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress
2008Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Film
2008Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
2008Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer
2008Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress

The Reader Cast

Ralph FiennesMichael Berg

Kate WinsletHanna Schmitz

David KrossYoung Michael Berg

Lena OlinRose Mather

Bruno GanzProfessor Rohl

Jeanette HainBrigitte

Hannah HerzsprungJulia

Karoline HerfurthMarthe

Volker BruchDieter Spenz

Alexandra Maria LaraYoung Ilana Mather

Fabian BuschHanna's Defense Council

Vijessna FerkicSophie

Susanne LotharCarla Berg

Matthias HabichPeter Berg

Burghart KlaußnerJudge

Sylvester GrothProsecuting Council

Jürgen TarrachGerhard Bade

Florian BartholomäiThomas Berg

Moritz GroveHolger

Kirsten BlockFemale Judge

Margarita BroichCo-Defendant

Marie GruberCo-Defendant

Martin BrambachRemand Prison Guard #1

Carmen-Maja AntoniPrison Librarian

Heike Hanold-LynchPrison Guard

Linda BassettMs. Brenner

Ludwig BlochbergerStudent

Benjamin TrinksHolger's friend

Cast of The Reader also appears in these series

Babylon Berlin2017–2026 · ★ 7.7

Mare of Easttown2021 · ★ 8.2

Extras2005–2006 · ★ 7.8

Currently airing

Nine Perfect Strangers2021– · ★ 6.9

Hunters2020–2023 · ★ 7.1

Alias2001–2006 · ★ 6.8

Generation War2013 · ★ 8.1

Cast of The Reader by the numbers

37average cast age in years

13years of age gap between the leads

50%women in the cast

37%women in the crew

The youngest in the main cast: David Kross, age 18 at release. The oldest: Bruno Ganz, at 67.

Cast ages at release

Ralph Fiennes46 years old
Kate Winslet33 years old
David Kross18 years old
Lena Olin53 years old
Bruno Ganz67 years old
Jeanette Hain39 years old
Hannah Herzsprung27 years old
Karoline Herfurth24 years old
Volker Bruch28 years old
Alexandra Maria Lara30 years old

Cast heights

1.81 mDavid Kross
1.80 mRalph Fiennes
1.76 mLena Olin
1.74 mAlexandra Maria Lara
1.73 mVolker Bruch
1.73 mJeanette Hain
1.69 mKate Winslet
1.64 mKaroline Herfurth

Cast nationalities

Germany 6United Kingdom 2Sweden 1

Crew

AddressStephen Daldry
WritingDavid Hare
MusicNico Muhly
PhotographyRoger Deakins, Chris Menges
EditingClaire Simpson
Production designBrigitte Broch
Costume designDonna Maloney, Ann Roth
CastingSimone Bär, Jina Jay
ProductionDonna Gigliotti, Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Redmond Morris

Trivia about The Reader

Kate Winslet was originally offered the role of Hanna, but she left it because it conflicted with the shoot for Revolutionary Road. Nicole Kidman later accepted it, though she dropped out afterward due to her pregnancy.

The lead actors, except for Fiennes, Winslet and Olin, imitated the accent of David Kross, who learned English specifically for the film.

To age Hanna, Winslet spent seven and a half hours each day in makeup and prosthetic preparation, according to Entertainment Weekly.

In its limited release on December 10, 2008, The Reader played in 8 theaters and grossed $168,051 at the U.S. box office over that weekend.

In an episode of the BBC comedy Extras, Winslet plays herself and decides to star in a film about the Holocaust to boost her chances of winning an Oscar.

To avoid legal problems, the crew waited until David Kross turned 18 on July 4, 2008, before filming her sex scenes.

The film received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Directing, Actress, Adapted Screenplay and Cinematography; Kate Winslet won the Best Actress award.

The production received approximately $4.1 million in funding from German regional and federal film bodies, including about $700,000 from the federal film fund.

Sources: Wikipedia (Spanish) · Wikipedia (English)

What it's about The Reader

based on novel or bookgermanywar crimesworld war iiwomen's prisontrialfemale prisonerreading aloudlove affaircynicallaw studentteenage sexualityolder woman younger man relationshipreading to someonesecret lovershameliteracyfranticwest germanycourtroom dramacomplexcautionarydepressingcruel

Main theme: World War II, The Holocaust, illiteracy