Two Lives

This drama has a certain stamp of quality on it. This is evident at first by the high level of mise-en-scene and cinematography, and then by the performances of Juliane Köhler and her co-stars. So it's surprising that the narrative is initially so blurry and confusing. Thankfully it clears up in such a steady way on its way to the resolution, that it seems almost perfectly judged. Reminiscent of Petzold's "Barbara" - but different, and succeeds on its own merits and interestingness.

Yet another post-Cold War film decrying the misdeeds of the East German Stasi. Quite an interesting plot, based on a true story, that keeps you guessing where the characters' allegiances lie. More than any other film, this story portrays how the psychotic racism of the Nazis carried over to the fanatical ideology of the East German regime. I found it was a little too much of a "boilerplate historical thriller" for my tastes. Although it was entertaining, it felt recycled from better films.