 |
|
THE
LIVES OF OTHERS
(DAS
LEBEN DER ANDEREN) |
|
|
|
"How Do You Say 'The
Lives Of Others' In
German?" |
 |
Written &
Directed by Florian
Henckel Von Donnersmarck
Starring Martina Gedeck,
Ulrich Muhe, Sebastian
Koch, Ulrich Tukur
Distributed by Sony
Classics -
2006 - 137m - Rated R |
| |
|
You know a movie is great when you
completely forget that you are reading subtitles the entire time. |
| |
“The
Lives of Others,” nominated for 11 German Film Awards, is the best
movie I have seen at the Savannah Film Festival and a definite shoe-in
for the one of the best of the year.
Everything in this movie clicks. The direction is steady. The
camerawork is subtle, but effective. The acting is amazing, but not
flashy.
This is a very slow film, but those with patience will find themselves
massively rewarded. As for those who don’t watch movies with subtitles
because you don’t want to read while you watch…just go, go away now.
“The Lives of Others” begins in East Germany in 1984. Ulrich Muhe is a
Stasi Surveillance expert named Hauptmann who is assigned to listen to
everything that happens in the home of a famous writer and his actress
girlfriend. As time goes on, the lonely Hauptmann becomes fascinated
by their lives and starts to hide their illegal activities from his
superiors.
That’s the basic gist of it, but there is so much more to it.
Ultimately, this is a film about the beauty and power of art and
rediscovering humanity, even in a place where it seems long gone. This
is not a thriller, as most films of this type are, but a character
study; an examination of people and their relationships. This will be
a turn-off for someone hoping for espionage and excitement, but as a
somber and haunting story, it excels on all levels.
Ulrich Muhe won Best Actor at the German Film Awards and if there is
justice in this world, he will also grab an Oscar nod. Despite sparse
dialogue, Muhe gives one of the best performances of the year. He
makes every moment work, particularly the quiet ones. As the couple,
Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch turn in subdued, but excellent work.
Ultimately, what I admire about this film the most is its subtlety.
Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (try saying that ten times
fast, non-Germans) never hammers us over the head with what’s
happening on screen. He leaves everything open and let’s us watch and
make up our own minds. Fans of “Lost in Translation” and similar films
will appreciate this film tremendously.
As I write this, I actually am beginning to like the film more than I
did last night. The more I think about it, the more I appreciate it.
This one is a absolute must-see for fans of European cinema.
|
| |
|
© Written by Jacob Hall -
Email
Me! |
TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Richard Propes' Comment
n/a
|
