By Jacob Cameron

Oprah Winfrey once said, “Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.”  In this case, the titular character of 1998’s Run Lola Run planned on living her life to the fullest.

Run Lola Run was released in Germany in 1998; though it received a release in the United States in June of 1999 distributed through Sony.  The film was directed by Tom Tykwer, who would later direct The International starring Colin Firth, and it starred Franka Potente and Moritz Bleibtreu.  The story, on the surface, is simple.  A woman named Lola, played by Franka Potente, receives a phone call from her distressed boyfriend Manni.  Manni, played by Moritz Bleibtreu, is responsible for delivering 100,000 Deutschmarks to a local crime boss.  But, he has lost the money while trying to evade the police.  Lola and Moritz now have 20 minutes to materialize the money or they will face dire consequences.

This premise is basic; almost too basic.  But, through a combination of lightning-quick pacing and great performances from Potente and Bleibtreu, this movie shines like a diamond 25 years after its release.  This is the fastest 80 minutes you’re likely to experience.  The frenetic pace is set from the first frame.  Lola answers a frantic phone call from Manni saying that he had lost the money and that the situation was dire.  From that moment onward, Lola runs.  While she runs, various scenarios play out where Lola interacts with individuals on the street, in a bank, and in a casino.

There’s an element of danger that permeates throughout the film.  Lola only has 20 minutes to get the money so there is no time to think. The danger of a mob bosses’ wrath hangs in the air in a way that is so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Franka Potente sells the urgency of the situation masterfully. She would go on to play Marie Kreutz in The Bourne Identity and Supremacy.

As Lola runs, versions of what might happen play out in the form of flash-forward sequences. For example, Lola snaps at a female bank worker. Lola’s father runs said bank and she goes to him for a loan but he declines. In her haste to leave the bank, she tells off said bank worker. We see that the bank worker meets a colleague and the two end up getting married.

In other scenarios, Lola doesn’t make it to Manni in time and arrives just before he is to hold up a grocery store in a robbery. In contrast, another scenario sees Lola make it in time; only for Manni to be hit by an ambulance, killing him. The movie doesn’t provide a clear answer as to what exactly happens to Lola, Manni, Lola’s father, etc. It is similar to 1985’s Clue with its famous multiple endings. But, because the story is so simple, there is a degree of fun to be had with which scenario is correct. I’ve seen movies with twice the runtime try to do something similar; only to miss the mark.

My only issue stems from the fact that Lola can occasionally scream at a decibel loud enough to break glass. It’s never explained and it feels like it leads to nowhere. 

However, it doesn’t change the fact that this is a fun movie with great performances and room for interpretation. Run Lola Run grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

4.5 stars