Das Leben der Anderen (2006)

Lack of a television and the myopic views in a laptop have made DVD-watching for me and my wife a distant pastime. When opportunities to watch a movie like Das Leben der Anderen (2006) (The Lives of Others) came by my wife and I sponged it like raindrops on parched earth.
Florian Henckel-Donnersmarck showcases his directing talent alongside some great screenplay, powerfully illustrating human fallibility, corrupt systems and silent heroes.

The setting is in the erstwhile East Germany (also known as the Deutsche/German Democratic Republic). A few years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, fears of 'liberal' and democratic ideas spreading from the west were rampant. The Stasi (secret police of DDR) were using an astounding number (over 400,000) of employees and informants to spy on its citizens. Any hints of people showing resistance to the regime were grounds enough for severe interrogation and imprisonment. Artists, writers and people with influence over ideas were prime targets. Government powers over citizen rights were misused.

It is in this environment that Georg Dreyman (played by Sebastian Koch), a well-known writer and his girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland (played by Martina Gedeck) a well-known actress, with her fair share of insecurities come to find themselves. Whilst many in government, believe in Georg's staunch loyalty to the socialist regime, a few in the ministry suspect it and have the Stasi wiring his home and watching him. Ulrich Muhe plays the incredibly straightfaced but adept Stasi agent, Hauptmann Weisler, who is entrusted with the task.

The movie goes on to show Christa-Maria, the actress, succumbing to exploitation by a corrupt minister in exchange for preserving her career as a star. In the meantime a well known director and friend of Georg, Jerska commits suicide after being blacklisted by the Stasi. Georg, who thus far maintains an even-keel and loyal attitude towards the regime, ends up writing and publishing an anonymous article in the west german press, bringing to the world's attention the series of hidden suicides which the Stasi had ironically enough, no statistics for.

The story unfolds through the eyes of the Stasi agent, from his clandestine monitoring station in Georg's building from where he records details of overheard conversations and happenings. Although idealistically loyal to the socialist cause, he encounters corrupt officials with selfish motives on the one side and honest and human emotions of the writer on the other. When the moment of reckoning comes where Georg starts colluding with the members of the west german press, Weisler human side ends up altering the transcripts and shielding Georg from the Stasis.

The movie finishes with director Florian, defying his debutant status into film making, by providing us with a gripping and compelling story, finishing it off with a masterful stroke that is cloaked in subtlety but powerful in impact (withholding spoiler).

In summary, Das Leben der Anderen masks its 2hr 15min length with some great Hitchcockian style story telling. Only unlike Hitchcock, the genius of Florian lies in exposing us to an important political and idealogical theme.