THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

THE READER, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Kate Winslet nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.

Starring Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes

Though THE READER may boast the typical pedigree of a Holocaust film--acclaimed actors, a literary source, and an Oscar-baiting end-of-the-year release date--this drama has a significant difference: it focuses on a perpetrator, rather than the victims. Kate Winslet takes on the hefty supporting role of Hanna Schmitz, a woman who has an affair with Michael Berg (German actor David Kross), a 15-year-old boy in 1950s Germany. They spend their brief romance alternately making love and focusing on literature, with Michael reading everything from Chekov to Homer to his lover. Soon, Hanna abruptly disappears, and Michael returns to his normal life. Almost a decade later, Michael is studying law, when he sees Hanna again; she is on trial for her crimes as an S.S. guard during the war. Michael is torn between a desire for justice and his knowledge of a secret that may save Hanna. THE READER makes full use of hindsight and historical perspective. Based on the bestselling novel by Bernhard Schlink, the story is framed by an older Michael (Ralph Fiennes) who deals with both his personal history and the collective past--and guilt--of the German people. This is a complex film that doesn't give the audience any easy answers; Hanna is undoubtedly guilty of horrific crimes, but she is a multilayered character who is always fascinating and always human, thanks to the terrific performance of Winslet, who plays Hanna over four decades. Director Stephen Daldry earned an Oscar nomination for his work on another literary adaptation, THE HOURS, and he deserves more praise for this polished film.

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger

Anne Hathaway nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.

Anne Hathaway's performance in this film has resulted in a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama.

Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation. The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet

Those who were waiting for the romantic reunion of TITANIC's Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet may be surprised by what they find in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. The movie begins with a sweet scene where Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) meet at a party, but the rest of this drama based on Richard Yates's novel is devoted to watching the destruction of their marriage and their selves in 1950s suburbia. Frank works at a job he hates in New York City, then commutes home to two children and a wife who feels none of them belong in their cookie-cutter town. Their realtor (a fine Kathy Bates) recognizes their specialness and introduces them to her mentally unstable son (BUG's Michael Shannon, in another good, unhinged performance) in an effort to establish some normalcy for the man. However, Frank and April's marriage is not as perfect as it seems to the outside world, and the audience gets to witness their downfall. With its commentary on conformity and finding identity, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD bears more than a passing resemblance in both theme and tone to the TV series MAD MEN and director Sam Mendes's previous film AMERICAN BEAUTY. The characters here may live in a polite age where men wear ties and hats and women clean the house in skirts and heels, but the dialogue often enters brutal territory. Less capable actors wouldn't have been able to capture the volatile chemistry between Frank and April, but DiCaprio and Winslet are as wonderful at uttering sweet nothings as they are at tearing each other apart with verbal barbs. Mendes, directing his wife, Winslet, for the first time, is a perfect match for the source novel's lack of sentimentality and its wry commentary on life in the 1950s that still resonates half a century later.

Those who were waiting for the romantic reunion of TITANIC's Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet may be surprised by what they find in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. The movie begins with a sweet scene where Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) meet at a party, but the rest of this drama based on Richard Yates's novel is devoted to watching the destruction of their marriage and their selves in 1950s suburbia. Frank works at a job he hates in New York City, then commutes home to two children and a wife who feels none of them belong in their cookie-cutter town. Their realtor (a fine Kathy Bates) recognizes their specialness and introduces them to her mentally unstable son (BUG's Michael Shannon, in another good, unhinged performance) in an effort to establish some normalcy for the man. However, Frank and April's marriage is not as perfect as it seems to the outside world, and the audience gets to witness their downfall. With its commentary on conformity and finding identity, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD bears more than a passing resemblance in both theme and tone to the TV series MAD MEN and director Sam Mendes's previous film AMERICAN BEAUTY. The characters here may live in a polite age where men wear ties and hats and women clean the house in skirts and heels, but the dialogue often enters brutal territory. Less capable actors wouldn't have been able to capture the volatile chemistry between Frank and April, but DiCaprio and Winslet are as wonderful at uttering sweet nothings as they are at tearing each other apart with verbal barbs. Mendes, directing his wife, Winslet, for the first time, is a perfect match for the source novel's lack of sentimentality and its wry commentary on life in the 1950s that still resonates half a century later.