Run Lola Run

1998 Director Tom Tykwer

Reminicent of Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Blind Chance", this is a film about the differences that minute amounts of time can have on the outcome of events. Moritz Bleibtreu and Franka Potente play a couple who's fate is inextricably entwined.

Manni is given an opportunity to prove his worth by a gangland boss by delivering the cash from a diamond deal. He leaves the money on a train and now has only 20 minutes to gather 10,000 marks. He calls his girlfriend Lola and tells her that he intends to hold up a supermarket. She pleads for him to wait for her.

Here start three roller coaster runs across town, each one dependent on the time that it takes her to get down the stairs of her apartment. Each scenario is punctuated by a conversation on mortality that Manni and Lola have in bed.

Many cinematic techniques are on display here including whip pans, jump cuts, slow and fast motion, split-screen, intercut color and black and white, segment titles, and animation and all are choreographed superbly to the thumping soundtrack. An exhilarating and very watchable film.