The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)

Ulrich Muhe, Sebastian Koch, Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Tukur

Dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Scr. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

The Lives of Others is a damn good film. Compelling, with a heart as well as a brain, this film is both frightening and funny. We are shown a world where nothing is secret and where privacy is an illusion. I wondered what could have possibly beaten the brilliant Pan’s Labyrinth to the Best Foreign Film Oscar. And while Pan’s is still my favourite movie of the year thus far, this German gem deserves every accolade it has received.

Set in the early 80s in East Germany, this film follows the lives of playwright Georg Dreyman (Koch) and actress Christa-Maria Sieland (Gedeck) who are oblivious to the fact that the Stasi (the secret police) are watching their every move. The man watching them, Gerd Wiesler (Muhe), is a model and unwaveringly loyal Stasi employee, whose work is his life and who is brilliant at what he does. But, as he observes their day-to-day lives, he becomes less of an unseen enemy and rather the best friend they don’t know they have. What drives Wiesler to change is not clear. Perhaps he comes to care for these people. Perhaps he deludes himself into thinking he is actually part of their lives. Perhaps he realises how unjust the system actually is. I don’t know. And it doesn’t matter. In the end, although personal tragedy strikes and the fall of the Berlin Wall means Wiesler’s career is over, he is a strangely heroic figure and the last scene brings a tear to the eye.

The Lives of Others is a depressingly drab-looking movie – muted tones, shades of brown and sometimes grey; this is the décor of socialism. I felt oppressed and stifled. It is brilliantly designed movie, creating mood and emotion with ease. The movie is also perfectly paced. It takes time for us to get to know the characters, which could be tiresome. But instead it is engrossing and makes the consequences of their actions so much more harrowing. The only complaint I have is the jarring jumps in time near the end of the film (“Two Years Later” … more than once), but I see why this technique was used and the concluding scenes put the very personal story we have been following into the larger picture of what occurred in Germany post-1989.

The acting in this film is outstanding. I think I benefited from the fact that all these actors are unknown to me – it helped pull me in and make me believe (instead of thinking to myself, “Oh, look, Tom Cruise” or “Isn’t that guy from CSI?”). Koch is extremely likeable as the “loyalist” playwright. Gedeck portrays the troubled actress brilliantly – there is so much sadness behind her eyes as we watch her driven to the edge by the horrible situation she finds herself in. But the star of this film is really Muhe. I was blown away by his performance. He is so restrained in his facial expressions and movements – his face rarely betrays his thoughts. He is the ultimate nowhere man who blends into the background in order to do his job in the most effective way. And the transformation we see in him is so subtle – the smallest movement in his expression speaks volumes; it is the ultimate minimalist performance. Behind his eyes is the horror of what is occurring to these people he is watching – we watch him soften in an almost imperceptible way. Brilliant stuff.

There are some scenes that have stayed with me and I keep recalling with horror or laughter or amazement – there is a particular scene which teaches us all not to joke about the boss over lunch. But the real joy of this film is the overall wash of drab hopelessness and the underlying current of terror. You’re unlikely to see a more intelligent or satisfying film this year. Highly recommended.