One word: Magnificent

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2010)

Before the Berlin Wall came down, the government was very interested in "The Lives of Others," a brilliant 2006 German film directed and written by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
The story concerns a dramatist, Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch), and his actress-girlfriend, Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck). As artists, they are revered by the party. In private, however, their politics are somewhat different, but they're careful to keep them quiet. The Minister of Culture isn't convinced of Dreyman's loyalty - in part because of his own interest in Christa, so he assigns an agent, Weisler (Ulrich Muhe), to spy on them. This entails wiring their apartment for sound, listening in 24/7, and providing reports to the Minister. Weisler becomes drawn into the lives of these two people and their friends, and therein lies the fascinating story.
Poignant, occasionally funny, scary, and thought-provoking, "The Lives of Others" is a fantastic film about the human soul in the face of politics, bureaucracy, fear, and desensitization. The director captures the tension-filled, drab atmosphere of East Berlin. I found the ending especially emotionally powerful.
The acting is wonderful. Muhe is great as a colorless puppet of the state, and Gedeck and Koch are excellent as the theatrical couple. The entire film is well cast and well acted.
This film won 61 awards internationally and deserved every one. Its best foreign film Oscar came as a big surprise - until people saw the film. Don't miss it.