The Lives of Others

Rating: 9/10 (8 April 2014)

Is it possible for a man to be good if he's part of a bad system? This is just one of the many questions raised by the 2006 Oscar Winner for best foreign language film. Set In 1984 East Berlin, Gerd Wiesler is an agent of the Stasi. A good one. So good he conducts lectures on interrogation techniques of enemies of the state. He's tasked with an assignment to monitor Georg Dreyman, an influential playwright with on the surface seems a poster-child of the GDR.
What unfolds is a thoughtful and thought-provoking drama. Wiesler observes not only his target but the nature of the system he works for. His observation, near silent most of the time, reveals not only the complexities of Dreyman's personal life and political beliefs but also the corruption of a system he holds steadfastly to be perfect. It's a beautifully profound human drama that asks suitably profound questions. Can bad acts be legitimised if the perpetrator believes them to be inherently good? Can art be true without the freedom of expression? What are the limits of loyalty? The performances are uniformly excellent. Ulrich Mühe shines as the torn Stasi officer. Playing him as a blank canvas reflecting the world around him yet wrestling with his own loneliness. While Martina Gedeck is excellent as the tragic and trapped actress whose relationship with Dreyman is stretched to breaking point.
The film is subtle, observant and never feels the need to over-state it's key argument about the corruptive and corrosive effect of the Stasi on the GDR. Yet, the historical and political trappings are a framework to a touching human drama that works on almost all levels. Outstanding.