Film: The Lives of Others – Written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

A captivating view of the unjust surveillance and intimidation systems deployed by the East German secret police in 1984. While the storyline was gripping and suspenseful, the themes of loneliness, thirst for power and the price to pay for selling your pride and integrity were thought provoking and emotional.

The movie shows one of the greatest tortures of all – the theft of hope.

Another point I found interesting about the film was the protagonist’s conviction that people have the ability to change. However, his naiveté almost costs him everything. In this film, the consistency in one’s actions in one realm definitely blurs into all other realms.

For more info, check out Rotten Tomatoes Review – The Lives of Others

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