Moving

Rating: 7/10 (28 March 2006)

Since about 2004, Germany has been producing some interesting films looking at and reworking its history (Sophie Scholl, The Downfall, Napola). This is one of the first 'serious' films to go into the dark aspects of the old East Germany. It's all about the Stasi (secret police) undermining and ruining people's lives, in this case the lives of prominent writers and actors. In the process -- and this is one of the unbelievable parts with no known historical precedent, as far as I'm aware -- the main surveillance person (Ulrich Mühe) warms somewhat to his victims and sees the emptiness of his own life.
Unfortunately, the film muddies the waters by making sex a major motive. This is unnecessary, irrelevant and also without much historical foundation.
It is very well acted by all concerned and successfully conjures up the required atmosphere.
It is one of those very 'small', low-budget German films (like Sophie Scholl) that in Britain would be a TV film and would never make it into a cinema. Presumably for financial and prestige reasons, films like this are shown on general release in cinemas in Germany.
In fact, it does not require a cinema at all, since there is nothing that calls for a big screen. My tip would be to wait for it to come out on DVD.