While most comments at this website have touched on the plot in detail, I have one minor point to add regarding the story per se. Then, I will explain what so special about this movie that makes it become my favorite.
There are a few reviews implying that Sieland relies on some sort of illegal drug. It never occurred to me that Sieland is a drug user. The only understanding I had as I was watching the film was that she takes contraceptive pill, and the reason she needs the medication is that she is very devoted to her career, for which she cannot afford to be pregnant for the time being. At the same time, it indicates that being sexually harassed by high ranked Stasi officials is so common and predictable that she knew it would happen to her at any time. She also knows very well that her career will be ruined if she does not accommodate their unreasonable demands. To protect herself and save her own career, she needs the pills. Or, the government was being so authoritarian that they even restricted the use of contraceptive pills? Upon the end of the movie – Wiesler's answering to the book store cashier "It is for me", followed by his coda – my mind kept saying BEAUTIFUL! I was deeply touched. I felt happy, but also sad for him. It really took me a while to realize why I love this movie so much. Subtlety it is. There is at least one User Comment which has pointed out this particular quality of the movie. Sorry that I cannot find another word to make my point. What I can do is to elaborate on it from a different angle. I have found the subtlety from the intriguing relationship among the characters – the watcher and the watched.
As a secret agent, Wiesler is a god-like watcher, who knows what is happening and what is going to happen. As long as he is in power, he can even change the fate of his surveillance targets. As a god, he tried to protect. For instance, he alerted Dreyman to find out the business between his girl friend and the Minister of Cultural Department. He persuaded Sieland not to meet with the Minister, which saved her pride and Dreyman's love to her. He even took away the typewriter, the evidence of the "crime". As the all mighty being, he can also treat the earthly- the watched, as playthings. Indeed, he almost did it. He did not tip-off the custom at the border. That tricked Dreyman and his writer friends into the belief that they are free from surveillance and getting the anti-government essay published. Eventually, Wiesler chose to be a protective god, because paradoxically, this god-like figure has been mellowed gradually by the earthly – the politically powerless but artistically powerful couple. Wiesler has changed from steely to soft, from apathetic to sentimental. Audience might have asked how come Wiesler, as a professor in spying, and an experienced secret agent, would be affected by his targets. Even I asked - Does it mean that none of his targets in the past twenty years, including those die-hard union leaders and preachers or intellectuals, have never criticized communism or socialism strong and clearly enough to make Weisler understand what so wrong with the government? Does it mean that the opinions of Sieland and Dreyman on the government are any different from other dissidents? No and No.
What is the magic that makes Weisler change then? Dreyman and Sieland symbolize the beauty of life; they show Wiesler that life should include compassion, integrity, freedom, individuality as well as love (romantic love and friendship). They have managed to bring all these unalienable humanity aspects into his consciousness through art and their lives.
Unfortunately, there is another god-like figure above Wiesler – Stasi. When he was found having helped Dreyman slip through the police control, he was condemned to be a "nobody" with all his power taken away and became a member of the earthly. After Stasi was removed from power, Dreyman has the chance to find out the story of his "guardian angel". From this point on, he is the watcher and Weisler is the watched; their positions switched. Dreyman is not like a god here but the way he communicates with Weisler is the same. There is hardly any direct contact between them. The spatial distance however is thoughtfully kept with an unspoken understanding.
For Wiesler, the distance is necessary not just because he does not want to jeopardize his career, but also because he needs to keep Dreyman and Sieland under his wing when they are walking the line of upsetting the government. For Dreyman, he respects Wiesler's decision of staying anonymous; he does not want to disrupt Wielser's quiet life. So he just shows his gratefulness by dedicating his book to him. " It's for me" – this witty remarks signifies that Wiesler now at least has an unmet friend ( Dreyman) in his life, in contrast to his earlier life when he did not share the same values with his boss /coworkers or other so-called comrades, and the only person who gave him solace was a big fat money-minded prostitute. It is sad to see Weisler being alone with the stiff face again towards the end of the movie. I was hoping that the influence of Dreyman and Sieland would not stop at the latter's death. I wished to see him accompanied by friends and lovers or families. I wished to see him have a more colorful life.
Maybe he will. Maybe he has it. Just that the director did not show us
There are a few reviews implying that Sieland relies on some sort of illegal drug. It never occurred to me that Sieland is a drug user. The only understanding I had as I was watching the film was that she takes contraceptive pill, and the reason she needs the medication is that she is very devoted to her career, for which she cannot afford to be pregnant for the time being. At the same time, it indicates that being sexually harassed by high ranked Stasi officials is so common and predictable that she knew it would happen to her at any time. She also knows very well that her career will be ruined if she does not accommodate their unreasonable demands. To protect herself and save her own career, she needs the pills. Or, the government was being so authoritarian that they even restricted the use of contraceptive pills? Upon the end of the movie – Wiesler's answering to the book store cashier "It is for me", followed by his coda – my mind kept saying BEAUTIFUL! I was deeply touched. I felt happy, but also sad for him. It really took me a while to realize why I love this movie so much. Subtlety it is. There is at least one User Comment which has pointed out this particular quality of the movie. Sorry that I cannot find another word to make my point. What I can do is to elaborate on it from a different angle. I have found the subtlety from the intriguing relationship among the characters – the watcher and the watched.
As a secret agent, Wiesler is a god-like watcher, who knows what is happening and what is going to happen. As long as he is in power, he can even change the fate of his surveillance targets. As a god, he tried to protect. For instance, he alerted Dreyman to find out the business between his girl friend and the Minister of Cultural Department. He persuaded Sieland not to meet with the Minister, which saved her pride and Dreyman's love to her. He even took away the typewriter, the evidence of the "crime". As the all mighty being, he can also treat the earthly- the watched, as playthings. Indeed, he almost did it. He did not tip-off the custom at the border. That tricked Dreyman and his writer friends into the belief that they are free from surveillance and getting the anti-government essay published. Eventually, Wiesler chose to be a protective god, because paradoxically, this god-like figure has been mellowed gradually by the earthly – the politically powerless but artistically powerful couple. Wiesler has changed from steely to soft, from apathetic to sentimental. Audience might have asked how come Wiesler, as a professor in spying, and an experienced secret agent, would be affected by his targets. Even I asked - Does it mean that none of his targets in the past twenty years, including those die-hard union leaders and preachers or intellectuals, have never criticized communism or socialism strong and clearly enough to make Weisler understand what so wrong with the government? Does it mean that the opinions of Sieland and Dreyman on the government are any different from other dissidents? No and No.
What is the magic that makes Weisler change then? Dreyman and Sieland symbolize the beauty of life; they show Wiesler that life should include compassion, integrity, freedom, individuality as well as love (romantic love and friendship). They have managed to bring all these unalienable humanity aspects into his consciousness through art and their lives.
Unfortunately, there is another god-like figure above Wiesler – Stasi. When he was found having helped Dreyman slip through the police control, he was condemned to be a "nobody" with all his power taken away and became a member of the earthly. After Stasi was removed from power, Dreyman has the chance to find out the story of his "guardian angel". From this point on, he is the watcher and Weisler is the watched; their positions switched. Dreyman is not like a god here but the way he communicates with Weisler is the same. There is hardly any direct contact between them. The spatial distance however is thoughtfully kept with an unspoken understanding.
For Wiesler, the distance is necessary not just because he does not want to jeopardize his career, but also because he needs to keep Dreyman and Sieland under his wing when they are walking the line of upsetting the government. For Dreyman, he respects Wiesler's decision of staying anonymous; he does not want to disrupt Wielser's quiet life. So he just shows his gratefulness by dedicating his book to him. " It's for me" – this witty remarks signifies that Wiesler now at least has an unmet friend ( Dreyman) in his life, in contrast to his earlier life when he did not share the same values with his boss /coworkers or other so-called comrades, and the only person who gave him solace was a big fat money-minded prostitute. It is sad to see Weisler being alone with the stiff face again towards the end of the movie. I was hoping that the influence of Dreyman and Sieland would not stop at the latter's death. I wished to see him accompanied by friends and lovers or families. I wished to see him have a more colorful life.
Maybe he will. Maybe he has it. Just that the director did not show us