The Lives of Others
In 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.
Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck · Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 137 min · 2007
Trailer
Director
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Writer
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Studio
Wiedemann & Berg / Bayerischer Rundfunk / Arte / Creado Film
Release
30 Mar 2007
Runtime
137 min
Genres
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Full Plot
Gerd Wiesler is an officer with the Stasi, the East German secret police. The film begins in 1984 when Wiesler attends a play written by Georg Dreyman, who is considered by many to be the ultimate example of the loyal citizen. Wiesler has a gut feeling that Dreyman can't be as ideal as he seems, and believes surveillance is called for. The Minister of Culture agrees but only later does Wiesler learn that the Minister sees Dreyman as a rival and lusts after his partner Christa-Maria. The more time he spends listening in on them, the more he comes to care about them. The once rigid Stasi officer begins to intervene in their lives, in a positive way, protecting them whenever possible. Eventually, Wiesler's activities catch up to him and while there is no proof of wrongdoing, he finds himself in menial jobs - until the unbelievable happens.
Cast & Characters
Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler
Ulrich Mühe
Christa-Maria Sieland
Martina Gedeck
Georg Dreyman
Sebastian Koch
Oberstleutnant Anton Grubitz
Ulrich Tukur
Minister Bruno Hempf
Thomas Thieme
Paul Hauser
Hans-Uwe Bauer
Albert Jerska
Volkmar Kleinert
Karl Wallner
Matthias Brenner
Gregor Hessenstein, Der Spiegel-journalist
Herbert Knaup
Udo Leveh, Wiesler's night shift
Charly Hübner
Häftling 227, prisoner
Bastian Trost
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $2.0M, The Lives of Others has grossed $77.7M worldwide — about 38.8x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's parents were from East Germany.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Donnersmarck sensed fear among East Germans as a child due to their oppressive state.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
A film idea came to Donnersmarck while trying to write a scenario for a film class.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Beethoven's Appassionata was Lenin's favorite piece of music, according to Maxim Gorky.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
The Lives of Others holds 8.4/10 on IMDb (440,932 votes), 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 89/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 3, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.4/10 on IMDb (440,932 votes), 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 89/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Lives of Others's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
The Lives of Others holds a 92% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is The Lives of Others's IMDb rating?+
The Lives of Others has a 8.4/10 rating on IMDb from 440,932 votes.
What is The Lives of Others's Metacritic score?+
The Lives of Others has a Metascore of 89/100 on Metacritic.
Is The Lives of Others good? What are critics saying?+
The Lives of Others holds 8.4/10 on IMDb (440,932 votes), 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 89/100 on Metacritic.
How long is The Lives of Others?+
The Lives of Others has a runtime of 137 min.
Who directed The Lives of Others?+
The Lives of Others was directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
Where can I watch The Lives of Others?+
The Lives of Others is available to stream, rent, or buy on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Reviewers praised the film's realistic portrayal of East Germany, with some noting it is a thriller that delves into the corrupting power of the state. Critics also appreciated its historical context and thought-provoking themes, describing it as one of the great movies of the century 20 years after its release. Some reviewers highlighted its memorable ending and noted that it remains one of the top films from the last 30 years, named among several notable works by the London Film Critics Circle.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Good guys facing tragic circumstances in an interesting period of history. Because you view the main characters lives from the perspective of the morally confused Stasi Officer investigating them, you receive more information than the characters have about their hopeless situatio…
portman123 · 10/10This isn't so much a thriller as a glaring example of the corrupting power of the state, and of those charged with crafting and implementing it's policies. "Dreyman" (Sebastian Koch) is an East German playwright who is popular with the communist elite because his works manage to…
CinemaSerf · 7/1020 years later, still one of the great movies of the century. An amazing realistic take on the last days of the failing East German state at a time when the lessons from its deserved demise are being forgotten and propaganda is trying to repaint it as greatness. Interesting scrip…
userloser · 10/10
From the trailer's comments
This movie had one of the most fulfilling and rewarding endings ever.
@peanutbutter48151623 · 681 likesThis was just named one of the top 5 films of the last 30 years by the London Film Critics Circle. Richly deserved
@milovy · 179 likesIt reminds me the quote " In Soviet Russia you don't listen to the radio, the radio listens you".
@BruceWayne-qe7bs · 42 likesWhat a masterpiece. A movie that will never leave you. Greetings from Croatia....
@andydufresne87 · 308 likesfun fact: the main actor actually lived in the DDR and was an activist against the regime.
@nihilistic.easyrider · 99 likesWe watched this in college. Truly a masterpiece.
@George_Kush · 40 likesThis movie is flawless in my humble opinion. Achieves everything it set out to achieve. It isn’t about ideological politicking but about how power dynamics work and how corruption operates at extreme levels. The guy who plays the main Stasi antagonist does a remarkable job. If th…
@cannibalholocaust3015 · 82 likesThe Lives of Others might be the best film I've ever seen, and the trailer is one of the best as well. It gives nothing away.
@Trevelbond · 300 likes
