It begins with a frantic phone call that acts as the starting pistol in a race against the clock. Lola is player one in the video game like premise of Run Lola Run. She’s got twenty minutes to help her boyfriend Manni, a small time crook replace 100,000 German marks of his boss’ money. Her love for Manni is pertinent as she runs determined through the streets of Berlin in a pair of Doc Martens (ouch), her woodpecker red hair catching the breeze as she flies by everyone. And though she fails the first time around like Sonic the Hedgehog or Mario she gets another life and the game resets. Not once, but three times. Lola is clever enough to take what she learns from each run into the next round. Director Tom Tykwer uses very specific stylistic choices: frenetic editing, the mixing of animation and live action, split screen, nods to Vertigo, Bonnie and Clyde and Breathless and a new approach to the three act film.
I've seen it twice now, and there's something about it that has me drawn to it, it's not a perfect film, but its just different enough to keep you well grounded in your seat - waiting to see what's going to happen. My short animated film The Chase was partially inspired by this film, I enjoy showing Run Lola Run to my animation students, especially since none of them have ever heard of it before.
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