The Lives of Others
Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck · 2006 ·
The Lives of Others (2006) earns a 89% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.
4-input transparent breakdown
🏆 2 award wins — Won Best Foreign Language Film, Academy Awards 2007
Buena Vista International Where to watch
Streaming availability varies by region — currently on Wavve, TVING in South Korea. Check local listings for your region.
Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Where to watch The Lives of Others by country
| Country | Streaming on |
|---|---|
| Japan | U-NEXT |
| South Korea | Wavve, TVING |
Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.
Why this score?
- Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (93/100).
- 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
Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Is The Lives of Others worth watching?
Yes — The Lives of Others earns a 89% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.
Celluloid Verdict
A surveillance-state thriller that humanizes both watcher and watched with devastating restraint.
Celluloid editorial verdict
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.
Watch the Trailer
Critic Reviews
The Lives of Others (2006) Review: A German Classic
★★★★½
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's The Lives of Others (2006) endures as a defining drama landmark from Germany, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.
Essential viewing — a certified classic.
The Lives of Others stills
Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.
Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.
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