1998 · 1h 20m
Lola receives a phone call from her boyfriend Manni. He lost 100,000 DM in a subway train that belongs to a very bad guy. She has 20 minutes to raise this amount and meet Manni. Otherwise, he will rob a store to get the money. Three different alternatives may happen depending on some minor event along Lola's run.
Directed by Tom Tykwer
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ausher8
Stupid criminal is stupid and expects his girlfriend to bail him out and fix his problems. We watch 3 different scenarios of her running around trying to come up with money. More stupid stuff happens and she screams to try to make things go her way. Yes, literally screams. Ridiculous
CinemaSerf
"Manni" (Moritz Bleibtreu) calls his girlfriend in distress to tell her that he's left DM100,000 on the subway and unless he can repatriate it by noon, he's going to have to rob somewhere else he is toast! What now ensues sees three scenarios play out as "Lola" (Franka Potente) tries to figure out a way to raise this fairly huge sum of cash in the twenty minutes allowed. Her dad is a bank manager - so perhaps he could help (willingly or otherwise)? Maybe she could chance a bet on a roulette wheel? Maybe she could not get there at all and let him do some robbing? What ever happens, she is going to have to do some running and timing is going to be crucial. It's filmed at break neck speed for the most part, with both characters simultaneously trying to find a solution to the predicament - and sometimes that produces some comedy, sometimes some tragedy, some furniture gets a bit trashed, some dirty laundry gets aired and the permutations all provide us with an answer - just maybe not the ideal one, or maybe yes - the ideal one. It's also quite a fun observation on just how frustrating tiny amounts of time can be when you are in a rush. This is well exemplified by the security guard at her dad's bank, but also by the traffic and the pedestrians and other obstructions that a few seconds of patience would easily (and probably just as quickly) overcome. It's quirky this film, it's short and focussed and I did enjoy it.
ezra
definitely biased because i'm a huge fan of techno music lol. i was bopping all the way through, it was a lot of fun. became my new favorite film when i walked out of the theater. professor had us watch this film to showcase what can be done with editing in the art of film, i'm convinced that was mostly the rapid match cuts with the music, which was a really cool effect. every choice really made this a fun and exciting watch, the fun kind of tension all the way through. music probably carried that. i can see this being more of a "huh. cool." movie to most people, but if you're like me and can't help but jam out to a 128bpm techno beat this is a must watch
Sharpdon57
I'm gonna come right out and call Run Lola Run (or Lola Rennt) an absolute masterpiece. I don't know how so few people have seen this film - it deserves so much more attention. As a cinephile who takes ratings of films very seriously, i can comfortably place this as my 3rd favourite movie ever. So, what is there to love? A lot. The plot premise is quite simple, but it is made into a beautifully complex web of fate by the director, Tom Tykwer. The cinematography is insane, of course, and yet it never feels unintentionally janky, but rather, it feels as if every frantic movement has a calm side. Soundtrack is really splendid, and some elements, like her screaming to make things go well, are just so incredibly absurd it's hard to hate! I watch this movie every few months with an indefatigable craving for everything i have said and more. Also fun fact - this film took clear inspiration from Krzysztof Kieślowski's 1987 film Blind Chance, and Tom Tykwer (who, as i said, directed Run Lola Run) also directed a 2002 film called Heaven, which is an adaptation of Kieślowski's last unadapted script. Just a little info nugget there!
