Sonata for a Good Man indeed!

Rating: 10/10 (9 December 2007)

This is one of the best films I've seen recently. I won't add a summary; many have done a better job of this than I could. However, what I do want to add is that what makes this such a great film is not simply that it is a political film. If you enjoy a surprising love story, subtle and realistic character development, and an outstanding film score, see this film. You might learn something about East Germany in the process, but that's not the entire point of the film. At its heart, this is a film about people and its themes transcend the time period.
************SPOILER ALERT********One of my favorite parts of the film is the way that Wiesler, the Stasi agent, reveals very slowly how he is affected by his observation of "Lazlo" and "CMS." He becomes more and more involved in their love affair, which emphasizes his own lonely life. Clumsy attempts at human closeness are made: with a prostitute, then with a child, until he finally begins to contact the subjects themselves. At first this contact is electronic, by rigging a doorbell buzzer to ring at a crucial point. He then talks directly with Christa, showing complete understanding of her needs, while also understanding exactly how far he can go. Where he goes next is for you to see, but he sacrifices his own career to become a "good man." *****************END OF SPOILER***********************