The first scene is amazing : you're watching a STASI class, where an interrogatory is meticulously analyze and deconstructed with a scientific method : if the person calms down after a while, she's lying, if she tells the exact same story twice, she's guilty... After this introduction to the method, we're about to watch its application. But unfortunately, watching the live of the others without interfering their live isn't that easy. And the cold Stasi agent will share empathy for his future victims.
The way the inhuman agent (greatly plays by Ulrich Mühe) slowly becomes an anonymous hero ( he'll stay a serial number to the end, hidden in the shadows of more brightly people) to the contact of passion, love and art (music, theater and literature), symbolized by the couple he's suppose to watch, is very convincing and greatly develops. The direction of the movie is sober and matured, the actor are all good, and the script is clever enough to give an impression of realism to the all story.
For all this "objectiv" reasons, this movie is definitely a good movie, and you leave the theater with the impression of having watch a serious piece of art of quality. But still, you wondering... If it was so good, why haven't you really been moved by the story, why this indifference toward the characters, why have you watch it with so little passion ? Of course, the theme, the period and the atmosphere of the film appeals sobriety, it's voluntary made that way. Right, but still, you can't help having the impression that something is missing to this movie, that this lack of passion doesn't necessarily have to move from the characters to the spectators, that the description of a cold and sad age doesn't have to be manufactured that way.
In fact, it's madness this film lacks : it's missing a surprising event that wakes the spectator from the monotony of a "interesting" feature. Of course, this could have broke the harmony and unity of the movie, and make another "Black Book" instead of a so "well done" piece of art, but at least, you wouldn't have the impression of watching a nearly scholar movie, made by a good student, who gives you everything you're waiting for in a German movie about the STASI setting in 1984, and doesn't really leave any room to surprise.
The way the inhuman agent (greatly plays by Ulrich Mühe) slowly becomes an anonymous hero ( he'll stay a serial number to the end, hidden in the shadows of more brightly people) to the contact of passion, love and art (music, theater and literature), symbolized by the couple he's suppose to watch, is very convincing and greatly develops. The direction of the movie is sober and matured, the actor are all good, and the script is clever enough to give an impression of realism to the all story.
For all this "objectiv" reasons, this movie is definitely a good movie, and you leave the theater with the impression of having watch a serious piece of art of quality. But still, you wondering... If it was so good, why haven't you really been moved by the story, why this indifference toward the characters, why have you watch it with so little passion ? Of course, the theme, the period and the atmosphere of the film appeals sobriety, it's voluntary made that way. Right, but still, you can't help having the impression that something is missing to this movie, that this lack of passion doesn't necessarily have to move from the characters to the spectators, that the description of a cold and sad age doesn't have to be manufactured that way.
In fact, it's madness this film lacks : it's missing a surprising event that wakes the spectator from the monotony of a "interesting" feature. Of course, this could have broke the harmony and unity of the movie, and make another "Black Book" instead of a so "well done" piece of art, but at least, you wouldn't have the impression of watching a nearly scholar movie, made by a good student, who gives you everything you're waiting for in a German movie about the STASI setting in 1984, and doesn't really leave any room to surprise.