Run, Lola, Run

Dir: Tom Tykwer, 1998, Germany (9.4*) 

An exciting, music video driven film, a crime film on adrenaline. Franka Potente’s boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) has just lost a huge sack of money from a drug deal, and she has 20 minutes to get the money to him to give to the boss or he’s history. The action starts very quickly, from his frantic phone call in the beginning, which comes as she's watching a music video on tv and which starts her running, and never lets up - there are more visual ideas here per minute than any film other film I've seen. When she passes people on the street, you briefly see their life in cinematic flashes.

Brilliant camerawork and editing, with some split screen shots that must be seen in widescreen (earlier dvd's were only available in full-screen, but thankfully that's now been corrected). Much of the action occurs in 'real time', with a countdown mechanism but which is uniquely employed here in a manner never seen before. The film is structured around a plot twist I won't reveal but one that makes this film truly unique. And, yes, she sure could run!

This visual style, and showing alternate realities for characters inspired Jaco Van Dormeal's 2009 science fiction masterpiece, Mr. Nobody - a great film, all fans of Lola should definitely check that one out.

[Updated: 12.11.12]