Kate Winslet believed that the small set they used helped them to develop their character's strained relationship. Hailing Winslet as "the best English-speaking film actress of her generation", David Edelstein of "New York" magazine wrote that "there isn't a banal moment in Winslet's performance—not a gesture, not a word". To avoid a scheduling conflict with "Revolutionary Road", Winslet turned down an offer to star in "The Reader". After her replacement Nicole Kidman left the project due to her pregnancy, Winslet was signed to it. Directed by Stephen Daldry, "The Reader" is based on Bernhard Schlink's novel "Der Vorleser" and is about Hanna
Kate Winslet Thompson cast her for the much larger part of the recklessly romantic teenager Marianne Dashwood. The director Ang Lee wanted Winslet to play the part with grace and restraintaspects that he felt were missing from her performance in "Heavenly Creatures"and thus asked her to practice tai chi, read gothic literature, and learn to play the piano. David Parkinson of the "Radio Times" found Winslet to be a standout among the ensemble cast, and Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle" took note of how well she had portrayed her character's growth and maturity. The film grossed over US$134 million worldwide.