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| Directed by Tom Tykwer; Starring Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, Nina Petri, Armin Rohde, Joachim Król, and Ludger Pistor |
Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt) is easily one of the most interesting and engaging films I’ve seen this year. It has more adrenaline than anything since The Matrix and is more visually impressive than anything since The Red Violin. Running a succinct 79 minutes, the film seems a mere 30 if not less. It just runs right through (no pun intended) and tells the story that the audience has been led to see, rarely ever pausing for a break.
The film is pretty much the same 20 minutes reenacted 3 times with a slight difference each time. Early on we see Lola (Potente), a young dyed hair German, receive a phone call from her boyfriend Manni (Bleibtreu). It seems that he was to deliver 100,000 German marks to a local thug as a test of his loyalty. After picking up the money, he lacks a ride from a late Lola and must take the subway, where he accidentally leaves the bag of cash to the pleasure of a bum. With 20 minutes to get the money and save his life, he asks Lola to help him get this cash before he robs a nearby grocery store. Lola panics and runs to find the cash, early deciding that her best bet would be her father at the bank. As she runs, she encounters a boy and his dog, whose actions decide the fate of each story and the people that run into Lola along the lines.
Using many techniques of filming ranging from slow motion to photography stills, from video to animation, the film is fast paced and fun. The pleasure in seeing Lola do so much for the person she loves comes off much more believable than anything handed out at films like Runaway Bride and The Thomas Crown Affair. I thoroughly enjoyed the direction of Tom Tykwer, cinematography of Frank Griebe, and editing of Mathilde Bonnefoy, all of which use an eclectic feel that summarizes all of what a suspense film should be. Even though I had seen a variation of the story just twenty minutes before, each time I was given a new version of the scenario, I was hooked and interested. My only problem with the film was in a small sub plot involving Lola’s father and his mistress (that also changes with each version) which seemed a little poorly put together, though admittedly important to the design of the film. A fast paced film, Run Lola Run is the best I’ve seen in action this summer and it doesn’t even have any humongous earth shattering special effects.
