The movie is set in East Berlin in the year 1984. Back when Germany was a totalitarian state. The Stasi was in charge of spying on its citizens and that's exactly where the movie starts. The protagonist, Mr. Wiesler, is a seasoned Stasi agent who has had an illustrious career. So much so that he's even instructing upcoming agents in the practices of interrogation techniques. Another important task that Stasi agents were known for; their "interrogation" methods.
Early on in the movie the protagonist gets assigned to a special "public figure". He himself wanted to get the assignment but as we later find out there were ulterior motives at play. Motives that concern his superiors.
Mr. Wiesler takes great pride in his job because he's really good at it. But as the movie progresses he has to reconcile with the fact that his current assignment is morally unjustified. Even though the protagonist is clearly meant to be the "bad guy" we are constantly witnessing the moments when his humanity shines through; to the point where we're able to empathize with him. He's a flawed character just like everybody else. Which makes the movie so believable.
Dreyman on the other hand is a good person but too many bad things keep happening to him. All of these bad turns of events eventually force him to step out of his "zone of complacency", to make a hard decision. With unforeseen consequences.
This movie is so powerful. It evokes so many emotions that it literally covers the entire emotional spectrum: anger, contempt, suspicion, deceit, humor, compassion, sadness, grief,...
It's ultimately a really sad movie though, with a lot of character development. The protagonist keeps indulging in the lives of the people who he's supposed to spy on. And by doing so he becomes a better person.
The ending was extremely satisfying to watch. Arguably one of the best movies I've ever seen. Everything came full circle, so poetically. I was not prepared for this. This is exactly what good filmmaking is all about. It's the full package. Even the setting is flawless; watching the movie feels like travelling back in time. That's how immersive it was.
Final verdict: supremely recommended (you're not going to regret it)
Mr. Wiesler takes great pride in his job because he's really good at it. But as the movie progresses he has to reconcile with the fact that his current assignment is morally unjustified. Even though the protagonist is clearly meant to be the "bad guy" we are constantly witnessing the moments when his humanity shines through; to the point where we're able to empathize with him. He's a flawed character just like everybody else. Which makes the movie so believable.
Dreyman on the other hand is a good person but too many bad things keep happening to him. All of these bad turns of events eventually force him to step out of his "zone of complacency", to make a hard decision. With unforeseen consequences.
This movie is so powerful. It evokes so many emotions that it literally covers the entire emotional spectrum: anger, contempt, suspicion, deceit, humor, compassion, sadness, grief,...
It's ultimately a really sad movie though, with a lot of character development. The protagonist keeps indulging in the lives of the people who he's supposed to spy on. And by doing so he becomes a better person.
The ending was extremely satisfying to watch. Arguably one of the best movies I've ever seen. Everything came full circle, so poetically. I was not prepared for this. This is exactly what good filmmaking is all about. It's the full package. Even the setting is flawless; watching the movie feels like travelling back in time. That's how immersive it was.
Final verdict: supremely recommended (you're not going to regret it)