The Lives of Others (2006)
No one’s safe in a surveillance state.
Presentation:
What is modern German cinema? After a cinematic hiatus from World War II, German cinema lost itself as it no longer had German expressionism to fall back on. Enter The Lives of Others, a great conspiracy political thriller about Stasi surveillance before the Berlin wall fell. It’s more realistic than 1984 but still has the dystopian tone of V for Vendetta. This is a reasonably smart espionage thriller that is pretty easy to follow and invest in its characters. It may help to get a refresher on the history of the Satsi surveillance state, but things are simplified to understand the plot without prior knowledge of German history. Wiesler’s character is the most interesting, but his performance is a bit subtle and not fully motivated. I mean, I wasn’t expecting overt acting from a German, but there are undeveloped parts that need more convincing. The presentation is quite interesting utilizing shallow depth of field with barrel distortion. Soft lighting from windows is also reminiscent of Deakins, but lighting for convenience is also utilized through unmotivated over-the-top lighting you’d see in The Hateful Eight. It has a look that reminds me of indie thrillers during the 90s like The Boondocks Saints.
Conclusion:
I quite enjoyed this film despite it having a few holes here and there. The concept is great and if you’re worried whether the historical elements will be a barrier to enjoy the film, a simple search on the Stasi secret police will suffice. It’s not as serious as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy but it’s also not just another popcorn thriller. Somewhere in the middle of East and West, we have a compelling thriller to sink our teeth into.
Recommendations
No one’s safe in a surveillance state.