The Lives of Others (2007)
Starring: Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Mohl, Sebastian Koch
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Screenplay: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Running time: 137 minutes
EAST Germany circa 1984, where its secret police, the Stasi, want to know everything about you – who you work with, what you habits are, what you eat and who you are sleeping with.
Captain Gerd Weisler (Mohl) epitomes the cold, stark reality of the regime – a hard man, leading a bland life with the only thing of worth to his employment. He is a company man who takes the job seriously and sees those around him as nothing more than cogs in Socialism’s wheel.
Things start to unravel in Weisler’s world when he is ordered by his superior to plant bugs in the home of patriotic playwright Georg Dreyman (Koch) and his actress girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland (Gedeck). After a few weeks of listening in he beings to realise how vacuous his own life is and so begins to live vicariously through them. Going against his own best interests and that of his superiors, Weisler starts to see the chinks in Communism armour and his own life, too.
Although Gedeck gets top billing, make no mistake, this is Mohl’s film. Mohl, who was born in East Germany, gives an outstanding performance of a man finding redemption by giving up on everything he ever believed in.
The Lives of Others won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and its easy to see why. Helmer and scriptwriter von Donnersmarck leaves the melodrama at home and lets the camera do the talking. He allows the repression of the East German regime to shine through without reverting to stereotypes of jackbooted soldiers and shadowy figures in trench coats and trilbies. One of the picks of 2007.
Notable Awards: Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film
4.5 stars out of 5
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