Before the Fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany's Secret Police Listened to Your Secrets.
In 1984 East Berlin, dedicated Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler begins spying on a famous playwright and his actress-lover Christa-Maria. Wiesler becomes unexpectedly sympathetic to the couple, and faces conflicting loyalties when his superior takes a liking to Christa-Maria.
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Character
Earnest, grave, classical in form and meticulous.
- earnestironic
- gravecomic
- classical in formformally daring
- rawmeticulous
- unpretentiousprestige
Who loves it, who doesn't
34 profiled raters. Loved most by The Provocateurs; disliked most by The Comfort Seekers.
Where do you stand?
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“Is it the best drama film of its decade?”
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“Is The Lives of Others too earnest?”
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“Is Martina Gedeck the best thing in The Lives of Others?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Curator Co.'s numbers.
- portman123on TMDB · Jan 202410/10
Good guys facing tragic circumstances in an interesting period of history. Because you view the main characters lives from the perspective of the morally confused Stasi Officer investigating them, you receive more information than the characters have about their hopeless situation. This makes it all the more tragic to see the suffering they endure. Absolutely love this film. The only film so far to make my dad and I cry.
Read the whole review on TMDB - CinemaSerfon TMDB · May 20247/10
This isn't so much a thriller as a glaring example of the corrupting power of the state, and of those charged with crafting and implementing it's policies. "Dreyman" (Sebastian Koch) is an East German playwright who is popular with the communist elite because his works manage to extol the virtues of their people's republic. The minister "Hempf" (Thomas Thieme) goes through all the supportive motions with him, but meantime asks the Stasi to keep an eye on him. The very ambitious "Grubitz" (Ulrich Tukur) selects his meticulous colleague "Wiesler" (Ulrich Mühe) to manage the surveillance and off we go. What dawns on them very quickly is that they are being used by the politician to discredit the writer for an altogether different reason. He has designs on actress "Christa-Maria" (Martina Gedeck) who just happens to be the girlfriend of their new quarry. She has very reluctantly agreed to his advances in the past, but on the basis that resistance would be pretty futile as he is not a man to be crossed. If they needed proof of that, they just have to look at the ostracised "Jerska" (Volkmar Kleinart) who is now reduced to living in a glorified flat share and who cannot get any work. The
Read the whole review on TMDB - userloseron TMDB · May 202610/10
20 years later, still one of the great movies of the century. An amazing realistic take on the last days of the failing East German state at a time when the lessons from its deserved demise are being forgotten and propaganda is trying to repaint it as greatness. Interesting script, great performances and direction, deep and multi-layered message. A must watch.
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Cast
- Martina GedeckChrista-Maria Sieland
- Ulrich MüheGerd Wiesler
- Sebastian KochGeorg Dreyman
- Ulrich TukurAnton Grubitz
- Thomas ThiemeBruno Hempf
- Hans-Uwe BauerPaul Hauser
- Volkmar KleinertAlbert Jerska
- Matthias BrennerKarl Wallner
- Charly HübnerUdo
- Herbert KnaupGregor Hessenstein
Crew
- Florian Henckel von DonnersmarckDirector
- Florian Henckel von DonnersmarckScreenplay
- Hagen BogdanskiDirector of Photography
- Gabriel YaredOriginal Music Composer
- Stéphane MouchaOriginal Music Composer
- Patricia RommelEditor
- Max WiedemannProducer
- Quirin BergProducer
Where to watch
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Curator Co. Other media included when they land close.
A Most Violent Year 201488% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Samurai Rebellion 196786% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
I'm Still Here 202484% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Lust for Life 195684% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Serpico 197383% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Das Boot 198183% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Mudbound 201783% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Judas and the Black Messiah 202182% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
The New Look 202484% alikeSeries · Both earnest, grave, classical in form.- Illmatic 199480% alikeAlbum · Both earnest, grave, classical in form.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Curator Co.
