THE LIVES OF OTHERS is a quiet and deliberate tale about, Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe), a stuffy Stasi agent (East German Secret Police) in 1980’s Berlin who derives pleasure in spying and interrogating. With an expressionless, steely glare, he pummels suspects for hours until he receives the answers he is looking for. Devoid of personality and content with the solitary life he leads, it’s not until he attends a play written by Georg Dreyman and starring the lovely Christa-Maria that the foundation of his icy exterior begins to crack. He suggests to his superior that the couple’s apartment should be bugged under the false pretense that the influential writer could be penning a dangerous manuscript. Despite this seemingly upstanding suggestion, his motivations are far more sinister and dangerous. His instant infatuation with the couple peaks his suppressed curiosity and the voyeuristic thrill that the mission would provide is far too tantalizing to ignore.
The Secrets that Lie Behind Closed Doors
Donnersmarck’s film builds tension quietly and methodically as secrets are exposed, and the once rigid Stasi spy finds himself engulfed in the lives of others. Because of his omnipotent position, he learns the dark secrets that the lovers are keeping from the world, and from one another. Though everyone around them believes the duo is living the perfect life, they are equally tortured and troubled. Christa-Maria is stuck in a torrid affair with a government official, and if she were to ever sever ties with the heathen, her career would be over. Georg on the other hand, decides to write an article for an underground periodical that is every critical of the government. It is the very thing that has been in charge of uncovering, yet it becomes obvious that his convictions are wavering. Does he fulfill his duty and blow the whistle as he has done countless time before? Or, does he turn a blind eye and put his fast-rising career at risk?
Every performance in this subtle masterpiece is superb, but it is Muhe who stays with you for days. It’s difficult to recall the last time a character as complex as he went through a complete metamorphosis with such little fanfare. By the end of the film, you realize that you have witnessed a profound transformation. You’ve watched a man change his entire nature, and it’s impossible to discern exactly when, and where, it happened.
A Much-Deserved Oscar
THE LIVES OF OTHERS won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film in 2006, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a dramatic thriller that is hauntingly realistic, and based (partly) on frightening facts. This feeling of realism is heightened drastically by watching the superb extra features that are included on the outstanding DVD. There are a number of deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes look, but the true wonderment lies in the candid confessions of Donnersmarck. Not only does he provide a feature-length commentary for the film, but he supplies a very candid 30-minute interview that divulges into every aspect of the filmmaking process. There is a segment in which he is discussing the casting of the film, and reveals that Muhe was actually the subject of Stasi monitoring himself. The actor was followed from the time he left high school for his “dangerous” beliefs, and it was so extreme, that many of his fellow actors and producers were actually Stasi spies who were there to keep tabs on him. To use this personal experience to mold such an intriguing character is almost as legendary as the film itself.
FILM- A
(Rated R for some sexuality/nudity)
DVD- A
