Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The lives of others


Germany 2006
Details  imdb
Seen 15 October 2008
An agent with the Stasi, the East German secret police is assigned to keep tabs on a prominent playwright, Georg Dreyman, who is one of the leading writers acceptable to the authorities. The state minister wants him investigated on the pretext to find some incriminating evidence against the writer. In reality the minister has intentions on Georg’s girlfriend, Christa.
That is the beginning of the agent’s involvement with Georg’s personal life and we see how it affects his work as well as his long held personal beliefs. Ideals, convictions, necessities, lies, deceit, and loyalties – so many human facets come to the fore in this extraordinary thriller.
I’m also very impressed that there is no violence shown. It is all a mind game between the pursuer and the pursued. Intrigue and complot intertwined to make the audience waiting with abated breath to see what will happen next.
A thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking effort.

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