The Lives of Others

Last week, I saw 'The Lives of Others' (original German: Das Leben der Anderen) -- a wonderful German movie, which won the 2007 Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language film. Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (what an interesting name!), this movie is set in the East Germany (GDR) of 1984 when idealism and socialism ruled the roost. It somehow reminds me of 1984, George Orwell's acclaimed novel about life in an authoritarian regime.

Ulrich Mühe as Stasi (GDR's secret police) Captain Wiesler (Code name: HGW XX/7) and beautiful Martina Gedeck as the playwright Georg Dreyman's lover and a renowned actress Christa-Maria Sieland are just superb in their roles. Moreover, Martina is more than a treat to watch. Dreyman's role is played by Sebastian Koch.

The movie is a fine balance between emotions and thrills of life. It captures those turbulent times (5 years before the breaking of the Berlin Wall) in a fascinating way. One could not live even his own life in a peaceful manner as almost everybody was kept under the eyes of the Stasi, Ministry for State Security. By listening to people's conversations and their mannerisms, each one's fate was decided -- whether the person is reliable or not.

Wiesler is asked to spy upon the lives of the playwright Dreyman and his lover Christa-Maria. In the process of observing their lives, Wiesler himself gets absorbed and even plays an active part in trying to alter some situations. However, what causes this stern and authoritarian Captain to soften up, is not told clearly in the movie.

Martina Gedeck & Sebastian Koch in 'The Lives of Others'

The events of the movie are layered upon the viewer and he doesn't feel loaded by them. This gradual build up of drama and emotions is one of the strong points of the movie. The closing scene of the movie is really touching. The times are post-Berlin Wall and Weisler, doing some small jobs, sees a novel published by Dreyman and purchases it. On asked for an option to gift-wrap it, he replies: "No, this is for me." It is one of the best scenes I've seen of late.

The music of the movie is worth mentioning. It's an elixir for the ears. There's a piece of Beethoven - Appassionata about which Dreyman tells Christa-Maria that Lenin once said of it: "If I keep listening to it, I won't be able to finish the revolution."

The movie has strong after-effects and you continue to think about something even on coming back to your home (in fact more so then). All-in-all, a must watch.