The story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who, as a teenager in the late 1950s, had an affair with an older woman, Hanna, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. He alone realizes that Hanna is illiterate and may be concealing that fact at the expense of her freedom.
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🔍 Search on JustWatch →The film doesn't rush. It trusts the viewer — gives time to inhabit the characters, understand what's really happening. Direction here serves the actors rather than overwhelming them.
This film doesn't entertain — it speaks. If you're ready for that, it'll leave a mark. If not — it'll seem slow.
A good choice for those who value subtle direction and honest performance.
Director: Stephen Daldry
— MovieFinder Editorial
Best Watched
Viewing atmosphere: Unhurried, on a weekday evening. Put down the phone, let the film work.
Ralph Fiennes
Michael Berg
Kate Winslet
Hanna Schmitz
David Kross
Young Michael Berg
Lena Olin
Rose Mather
Bruno Ganz
Professor Rohl
Jeanette Hain
Brigitte
Hannah Herzsprung
Julia
Karoline Herfurth
Marthe
Volker Bruch
Dieter Spenz
Alexandra Maria Lara
Young Ilana Mather
Audience Score
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