Engrossing, compelling, and engaging...a German masterpiece...

Rating: 9/10 (11 November 2008)

My experience with German cinema is not very vast; the most recent film I saw out of Germany was the excellent DER UNTERGANG, which was good enough to garner a spot in my Top 100. The style of DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN is equally impeccable and it is difficult not to appreciate, regardless of one's taste in film. The story itself is a truly remarkable and unforgettable one; one that will captivate many viewers.
While none of the main characters are one-dimensional (thankfully), the real protagonist of the story is Gerd Wiesler, played by the late Ulrich Muhe. This is easily one of the greatest portrayals I have seen in a while, and the portrayal makes for a great character study. Wiesler is easy to relate to on the surface, but carries with him an air of melancholy, loneliness, and longing. When he spies on the couple, one begins to understand his emotional transformation, as their lives are filled with the things that his life is devoid of: passion, love, art, and desire. They live in a rather lush apartment, while his is more like a motel room than anything, devoid of life and feeling, much like his existence. He ultimately begins to care for the couple and assumes the role of 'Guardian Angel', at the risk of losing his job, and his favour with the Stasi. The scene in which the viewer realises that he chooses to move from detached observer to active participant is gripping and sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
The acting is superb overall, though I haven't heard of any of the actors before this feature, and the screenplay and cinematography are equally excellent. This is an overall brilliant film; it is intelligent and complex without being overly melodramatic, and manages to speak to the heart with no need for bombastic mind-numbing special effects. My only real regret is that the film opened only as a limited release, and many viewers were thereby deprived of a truly rich and rewarding cinematic experience. I heard that there was an American remake in the pipelines, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with this original, and if one must make an extra effort to see it, it would be worth it. This is quite easily one of the best movies of 2006/2007.
9/10. 3.5 stars (out of 4). Should enter my Top 150 at #116. Highly recommended.