Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

ruoshi Without been in China, in 2018, I would not fully understand this great film. I have seen it many years ago in China, during college maybe, did not consider it anything special. But now, after living in US for 5 years, come back to China and saw this film, it's heavy. People here are under state surveillance in the most extensive way for whatever they say through internet. They complain offline, they escape the country like me, but not much people fight back. Now I realize, we Chinese citizens deserve all this, all of us, and this film explains my point.

hcf-72795 "Das Leben der anderen" besides giving us a quite realistic picture on the former german democratic republic, focusing on both the dictaturial regime and the routine of the artists it suported and financed, reveals the existing dicotomy in every human being. Characters who were supposed to have an established behaviour according to their social positions and status, reveal unexpected behaviours. The main character struggles with ethical questions and almost risks its life to be faithfull to what he discovers to be the right thing to do troughout the storyline.It is all in all a very coherent, moving and revealing story.

cutie mia Honestly, judging by the cover, I did not expect much from this movie. Wow was I so wrong. It blew me away and more. The movie was crafted so seamlessly and is interwoven so beautifully. It is a drama of character development and the importance of staying true to what you believe in. This movie is inspiring, encourages to fight for what you believe in and is a total tear jerk-er. Will forever be one of favorites for a very long time.

marissalozser This movie reveals the detail and depth the Stasi went in to intruding and spying on the lives of the citizens of the DDR. It is eye-opening and very informative for those who do not know a lot about the DDR. Two themes of this movie, love and watching, are present throughout the entire film. Wiesler is desperate for love or even just a human connection. Dreymann and Christa-Maria have a strong relationship, even after it is tested by Christa's questionable actions. Wiesler longs for this kind of love after observing it day after day. Wiesler observes Dreymann from afar at the play, and the Stasi soon begins to spy on him as well. The neighbor across the hall watches out her peephole at what has been done to Dreymann's apartment. Another theme is change. Hempf says that people can never truly change, but we see that this is not the case through Wiesler's softening and sympathy for Georg and Christa Maria. Wiesler begins to care truly care for the writer and his girlfriend whom he spies on. He takes risks that could cost him his job because of the empathy he has gained through intruding on their lives. He even makes a point to tell Christa Maria that she is a great actress and that many people love her when he gets the chance. This movie is very well done and thoughtful. The only downfall to this film, perhaps, is how sad it is, particularly the ending.