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DramaThriller

The Lives of Others Review (2006) — 90% Celluloid Score

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck · 2006 ·

Answer Summary

The Lives of Others (2006) earns a 90% Celluloid Score — Celluloid Pick. Celluloid Pick — highly recommended.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict

Averaged from five public sources (critic, audience, Metascore, Letterboxd, IMDb). See how we calculate scores.

90%
Celluloid Score Celluloid Pick

Five-source breakdown

93% Critic Score
94% Audience
89 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.4
8.4 IMDb /10
Runtime
2h 17m
Cast
Ulrich Mühe , Martina Gedeck , Sebastian Koch

Why this score?

  • Strong critic approval (93% positive).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (94%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (89/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.4/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.4/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded drama, thriller pick

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Is The Lives of Others worth watching?

    Yes — The Lives of Others earns a 90% Celluloid Score. Celluloid Pick — highly recommended.

    Critics Consensus

    A surveillance-state thriller that humanizes both watcher and watched with devastating restraint.

    Celluloid Critics Consensus

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is The Lives of Others about?

    A Stasi officer assigned to spy on a playwright in East Berlin becomes unexpectedly moved by the art and love he is meant to destroy.

    Critic Reviews

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