History Film / TheLivesOfOthers

* SocietyMarchesOn: The two renditions couldn't be more different. The original staging is more or less an on-stage soap opera. The 1990's staging is very minimalist and expressionistic with a multiracial cast.

* TheAtoner: Wiesler.

* BrokenPedestal: Weisler [[WellIntentionedExtremist truly believes in surveillance of citizens]] to weed out malcontents, but he's shaken when the minister starts abusing their power just to get in a married woman's pants.

** SocietyMarchesOn: The two renditions couldn't be more different. The original staging is more or less an on-stage soap opera. The 1990's staging is very minimalist and expressionistic with a multiracial cast.

* DrivenToSuicide: Jerska [[spoiler: and Christa-Maria.]]

* KickTheDog: Grubitz's cruel trick on the underling he catches telling a joke about then-General Secretary Honecker.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The opening scene: Wiesler questions brutally a suspect, and he uses this as an example for his students at the Stasi school (where he secretly marks the name a student who questions his methods). This establishes Wiesler as a brutal, emotionless and faithful Stasi agent.

* FastForwardToReunion: In 1985, Wiesler was in charge of spying on Dreyman, so he was closed to him during a long period (even if Dreyman was not aware of it). In the end, the mission ends and Wiesler and Dreyman's destinies part. In the epilogue, Dreyman realizes that Wiesler spied on him. {{Subverted|Trope}}, because Dreyman identifies Wiesler, stalks him, but [[spoiler:opts not to contact him. Instead, he pays tribute to him in a book]].

* YourCheatingHeart: Christa-Maria cheats on Dreyman with the minister. This is played for drama, since she is [[SexualExtortion forced into this secret relationship]].

* PetTheDog:
** Wiesler gets in an elevator, and a plastic ball bounces in, followed by the little boy who owns the ball. The boy asks if Wiesler is really a Stasi member, saying "They're bad men who put men in jail, says my dad." To which Wiesler responds, "What's the name of your... [[LastSecondWordSwap ball]]?"

* FastForwardToReunion: In 1985, Wiesler was in charge of spying on Dreyman, so he was closed to him during a long period (even if Dreyman was not aware of it). In the end, the mission ends and Wiesler and Dreyman's destinies part. In the epilogue, Dreyman realizes that Wiesler spied on him. {{Subverted|Trope}}, because Dreyman identifies Wiesler, stalks him, but does not interacts with him.

** [[spoiler: Dreyman learns HGW was Wiesler, and on seeing him humbled as a postal carrier, opts not to contact him, letting him retain what little dignity he has. Instead, he pays tribute to him in a book.]]

* DistantFinale: The story ends in early 1985 but gets a double epilogue taking place after the fall of Communism.

* BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord: Dreyman should be careful about using it.

* DefectorFromCommieLand: Dreyman and the other writers use this to test whether his apartment is bugged. Paul has an uncle in West Berlin who frequently visits. They loudly discuss a plan to smuggle him out in detail. Wiesler does not report this to the border checkpoint, and when the car receives no extra searches, they assume the apartment is not bugged.

* SpoilerCover: A minor variation, but the re-release poster (as seen above) [[spoiler:features the red fingerprint and HGW X/7, a PlotPoint[=/=]TheReveal at the end of the film.]]

* AsceticAesthetic: Stasi headquarters, Wiesler's LonelyBachelorPad. Modern, minimalist, efficient, soulless. Contrast with the romantic clutter of Dreyman's nineteenth-century flat: books, textiles, parquet, woodwork, warm lighting.

** Hempf's combination of military uniform (he's a company man) with slightly unkempt hair and dodgy 'stache (he's really in it for himself) encapsulates his whole persona.

* BigBrotherIsEmployingYou

** Christa-Maria's [[spoiler: confessions to the Stasi.]]

* HeelFaceTurn: Wiesler.

%% * RousseauWasRight: The whole point of the movie. %% Zero Context

* ShowerOfAngst: Christa-Maria has one after her rape by the minister.

%% * SkilledButNaive: Wiesler and Dreyman have something in common. %% Zero Context

** Hempf telling Dreyman that he "couldn't satisfy" Christa-Maria - and [[spoiler: this is ''after'' the Wall comes down, so there's literally no reason for it other than nastiness.]]

%% * SinisterSurveillance %% Zero Context

* StateSec: The Stasi, of course.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Wiesler's actions would have been impossible for any real Stasi agent, because the Stasi knew that the watchmen have to be watched even more closely than the civilian populace - Stasi agents worked in mutually-surveilling teams when on duty, and were watched off-duty as well. However, the film is presented more as a morality play, interested in questions about human nature than history.