Leben der Anderen, Das (The Lives of Others)

Genre: Drama
Year of release: 2006
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

This movie is a text book example of a drama, just like silence of the lambs is thriller and die hard is action. I found it very easy to fall asleep with out my proper food and drink, so in the middle of this movie I quickly bought some. After having my trusty bottle of coke at my side I was no longer tired and could stay awake quite easily. Even when I was falling asleep I was still enjoying the movie quite a lot and it was even better when I was fully awake. Great movie.

Lives of others is about the secret police of East Germany back when the Berlin wall was up in 1984 and the surveillance of a certain writer. The man (Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler played nicely by Ulrich Mühe) listening in on all their conversations gets interested in their lives and eventually tries even helping the writer under surveillance.

The Lives of others is much deeper than it appears, at first I did not fully understand why Wiesler would be so interested in their lives why he would go against his sworn duty, but the reason as I soon found out after was quite good and for me boosts the movie up a few points. Sometimes its good for a movie not to fully explain things, makes people think for themselves and even if somebody tells you it gives more meaning to each simple scene that I first thought nothing of.

This movie does not have any action it is merely a talking movie, just to let you know if you have not seen it, it neither has great climaxes either it simply cruises easily. If you do not like dramas then you will not like this movie.

I also enjoyed the ending of this movie. The last scenes made his efforts feel worth it. The director did a good job of this movie, the movie only lacks on it lack of climax however I do not think they could have pulled it off anyway. It a wonderful movie with some some good acting, decent story, and a good amount of depth, the characters were pretty good and the way Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has made each scene is great.

8.5/10