A Masterpiece! A Tale that vividly captures the very essence of the Human Soul.

Rating: 10/10 (1 May 2007)

This is, without a doubt, one of the best films in the history of German Cinema. A tale of love, deception, humanity, and the essence of the human spirit, The Lives of Others not only accurately displays life in the GDR, but is nearly perfect on every level. Its scenery is absolutely sensational, the photography is excellent (not too ostentatious, but brilliant enough), the music score is nothing less than brilliant, and the screenplay is an absolute work of art in itself. The story involves an agent of the East German Stasi as he investigates the life of a writer and his lover. The story focuses on how, as he observes the couple's everyday activities, the agent gradually changes from his cold like, objective self, to a more human, warm, passionate, person; a Good man, as we are told in the end of the film. Unlike other East German films such as Goodbye Lenin!, which focus more on the nature of the Socialist Regime itself, the Lives of Others focuses more on human relationships and the goodness of mankind. In the end, it leaves us a very powerful message, a message that tells us that no matter how hard we are, how terrible we might seem, no one is corrupted, and everyone has a sensitive, kind, and loving person inside them. A naive dream perhaps, but the director makes it work to perfection to the point where we, as an audience are deeply moved by the film and begin to look inside ourselves for that "good" person we are told lives inside us. The story will make us cry, will make us question our stand in the world and make us realize how important goodness and humanity really is. I recommend this film to anyone... but fair warning first, this film is so good it will absolutely move you away from Hollywood Blockbusters and superficial, frivolous films. It is so good that by comparison, everything else will seem mediocre.