God watches over us. He is a loving and patient God, active and engaged with creation and the world. While the world is not full of good, God is good. Often in film, in art, and in real life, when humans monitor other humans secretly or from a distance, their reasons are not altruistic or loving. Rather, it is born out of the need to control and dictate others, monitor them for treason or other activities or thoughts deemed detrimental to the nationalistic or religious good. The Lives of Others depicts one such individual who gradually uses his power for freedom rather than bondage, though not without a cost to this own welfare.I cannot give this film a higher recommendation. It is brilliant and justifiably won the Best Foreign Picture. It may have been the Best Picture of last year period. At first, I was disappointed when Pan’s Labyrinth lost the Best Foreign Picture. ...(read more) Now, I respect those who had to choose between the two brilliant films.
There are so many compelling storylines and elements in this film. It is very rich. It is extremely tense and suspenseful, and unpredictable. So many of the storylines did not play out as I would have suspected, but in the end the conclusions are consistent with what we know about the characters. For those who are not familiar with the film, the central story revolves around an officer of the Stasi, the secret police of East Germany. He is assigned to spy on a famous playwright and his actress girlfriend. A more conventional and clichéd film would have the surveillance officer fall in love with the actress. Not here, because a higher ranking official already has eyes for the actress (which is the motivation to begin the surveillance in the first place). No, instead, Captain Gerd Wiesler becomes intoxicated by what he hears and witnesses, and thus begins to examine his own meaningless existence.
If my summary seems slight or uninteresting, the movie is not. The acting is superb. Sebastian Koch, who recently passed away, gives a flawless performance. So much of his performance is focused on his facial expression and non-verbal communication. You gradually see his transformation without words, because it is happening as he listens in on the lives of the playwright and the actress. His is a middle-aged man who only at this late stage of life begins to experience the full realm of human emotion and connection. It is a powerful moment when Koch is able to subtly reveal Wiesler’s awakening.
There was one point toward the end of the film that I began to fear that the film was going to lose its way. Much like Saving Private Ryan, Flags of our Fathers, or the Return of the King, The Lives of Others was veering dangerously close to too many endings and tying up all loose ends. However, in the end, the final act of this film justifies the prolonged epilogue. The final shot and the last two lines of dialogue are the greatest of any contemporary film I have seen recently. Over time, it very well may rank as one of the greatest last shots and lines of film. Very powerful.
On a brief side note, leading up to the film, I had read a lot about how the subject matter of the film was that much more relevant because of our own government's use and/or abuse of spying and surveillance upon its own citizens. While the subject matter is indeed a current and contemporary debate issue, this film stands on its own merits.
The movie is rated R. While a powerful and important film, it is nonetheless a film for adults.
