Who would say this was a directorial debut?

Rating: 10/10 (17 August 2014)

Das Leben der Anderen !
I have never watched German movies before. For that matter, i watched few foreign language films lately like I SAW THE DEVIL, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN and a few others. Call it my good taste of movies or just my good luck, i picked two German movies at random yesterday and decided to watch them without even reading the review and without even knowing that both of them had Ulrich Muhe as the lead actor. The movies were FUNNY GAMES and this epic masterpiece, THE LIVES OF THE OTHERS. My mind got blown after watching the FUNNY GAMES, and after watching THE LIVES OF THE OTHERS, it went back to where it was.
The lives of the others is truly a commendable masterpiece. If this is what's directorial debut for German directors, i would devote my whole free time to watching German movies from now on! Also, i want to take a bow after watching ULRICH MUHE's acting. To my surprise, his first movie i watched was FUNNY GAMES few hours back and i didn't knew that he was there in THE LIVES OF THE OTHERS too. Now i am totally spellbound by seeing him act.
His character of Weisler in the movie is a very complex one. It's simply complex. His eyes always give that look of a duty-bound STASI official who would do anything for his state. It's true that he becomes increasingly consumed and obsessed by the lives of Dreyman and christa while keeping a tab on them(surveillance) but not even a pinch of that is hinted until later near the end when he shockingly reaches Dreyman's house before Grubitz and hides the typewriter. Felt really bad because Christa died for no reason... but now that's what was destined to happen, right? I mean i could sense that for once.. This movie depicts about the system prevailing in the GDR in the best possible fashion...about the politics, the systems of confidentiality, the procedural systems, clandestine stuffs...... A serious reconsideration is needed by people who think that movies on the subject of SPYING need have action and more action in it. This movie not just debars that misconception but also replaces the same by an innovation and a story even more touchy, emotional, suspenseful all of which makes it a marvel.
Hats off to the direction and hats off to Ulrich Muhe. May his soul rest in peace.
P.S : Best foreign language movie ever watched.