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The Reader

2008 · directed by Stephen Daldry · 124 min
23,615 feet · Prominence
1,073rd of 24,106 films scored
Not coveredNo Rewatchables episode on file.

How this film scores

Draw59

Lifetime worldwide gross $109m, re-releases included; about $167m in 2026 money.

Rank1,989 of 11,051In 200860 of 300

How Draw works

Inflation-adjusted worldwide box office, on one global curve, and nothing else. It does not know whether a film was good.

Praise78

Awards claim half the headroom above the critics' score.

Critics61 baseAwards91 signal → +18 lift

Oscars1 won Actress4 nominated Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography
Golden Globes1 won Supporting Actress3 nominated Motion Picture, Director, Screenplay
BAFTAs1 won Actress4 nominated Film, Direction, Adapted Screenplay, Craft and other
How Praise works

Critics set the score; a tiered award record, Picture and Directing carrying the most weight, claims half the headroom above it. Praise is the verdict at the time; Legacy is the verdict since.

Legacy48

Judged directly: Winslet Oscar, fading footprint.

Verdict48 of 100IMDb7.6 from 271kWikipedia30k views a monthAge18 years

Scored beside it · 1,175 of 4,039 films judged

If it does not belong in this company, the number is wrong.

How Legacy works

Legacy is a judgment, not a formula. A film can be adored by critics and culturally quiet, or lightly reviewed and permanently lodged in the culture, and no arithmetic over IMDb numbers tells the difference. Every signal behind it keeps updating.

draw 59 praise 78 legacy 48averages 62, placing it at23,615 ft
How the three become one number

Added, not multiplied, so a film transcendent on one pillar and weak on another is not zeroed out. A compression curve then squeezes the top, because the seven greatest films ever made should not be four thousand feet apart.

In these careers — elevation for this film

Kate Winslet20,130 ftRalph Fiennes19,011 ftLena Olin17,979 ftBruno Ganz17,968 ftAlexandra Maria Lara17,644 ft