Kate Winslet won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Hanna. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes praise her for making a deeply flawed character feel human and believable.

: During the trial, Michael realizes Hanna is hiding a secret—she is illiterate—and is willing to accept a life sentence for a crime she didn't commit alone rather than admit her "shameful" inability to read. Thematic Depth

Regardless of where you find it, The Reader is a film worthy of your time. It won the for Kate Winslet (she also won for Revolutionary Road the same year) and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.