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Created Jul 04, 2013 12:37AM PST • Edited Jul 04, 2013 02:32AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Great 4.0

   Cold and sobering, made with a necessary time distance, The Lives of Others is like an interesting 3-in-1 lesson. It is determined with the recent historical happenings and it deeply explores psychological and sociological relations between people pressed by the regime. And I give my word, this way of learning is very interesting and easy.

   Is it a movie lesson, too? Certainly. I couldn’t believe this was Forian Henckel’s debut, because he has directed this movie so precisely and elegant, l thought he has at least twenty years of directing experience. Though, it seems that he has a lot of practice for choosing the right actors.

   Despite some tiny flaws, the movie was very well accepted and currently is at #64 at IMDB Top 250 list. Fully deserved, since it is author’s brave review of his country’s past and a complex movie story.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Well, it’s simply uneven. You can easily conclude that the characters are complete and well written, but some of the actors simply haven’t brought out the maximum of their parts. Sebastian Koch starring as a writer called Georg Dreyman is great, but Martina Gedeck, who plays his darling, simply lacks some passion and attitude. Ulrich Müche starring as a secret police spy is a hell of an actor, he brings out many contradictions, being quiet and loud, good and bad guy at the same time.

5. Male Stars Perfect 5.0

   Sebastian Koch and Ulrich Müche are guys able to make you interested in German cinematography.

6. Female Stars OK 2.5

   Martina Gedeck acts an actress, yet she shows a poor amount of emotions.

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

   Actually, there are only two female costars with lines in this movie. I’ll mention Marie Gruber as Georg’s neighbor, who really doesn’t say much, but her destiny is one of the most upsetting digressions of the movie.

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

   Volkmar Kleinert as Albert Jerska plays a touching part, but unfortunately the we don’t get to see him a lot. Ulrich Tukur shows more often, but gives less of emotions.

10. Film

    Really Great 4.5

    The movie is settled in the early 80’s in East Germany and that time and place offer a lot of juicy topics. Donnerschmarck uses them wise through a simple story. A secret police spy’s task is to constantly watch over a shady writer. He soon becomes obsessed with his life and lives of his closest friends. He evolves from a spy to a human. Some of the topics included in the movie are the censorship, freedom of speech, survival of the art, fight for the ideals, basic human rights such as a right on privacy etc.

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

    Concise and appropriate.

12. Play Really Great 4.5

    Done by the director himself. It’s a step away from the perfection. It has many painfully true lines, but sometimes written too regularly

13. Music Great 4.0

    Note the track called “Sonate vom gute Menschen” that Georg plays on the piano. Not only it’s a great score – it has a special meaning, you’ll reveal it later.

14. Visuals Great 4.0

    Nothing memorable, but the cold colors are completely in the spirit of the atmosphere.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.3

17. Sex Titillating 2.0

18. Violence Gentle 1.2

19. Rudeness Polite 1.0

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

    Absolutely natural.

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0