Run Lola Run (1998)

After a botched money delivery, Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks.

Director:

Tom Tykwer

Writer:

Tom Tykwer (screenplay)

Stars:

Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 28 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Franka Potente	...	Lola
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Manni
Herbert Knaup	...	Vater
Nina Petri	...	Frau Hansen
Armin Rohde	...	Herr Schuster
Joachim Król	...	Norbert von Au
Ludger Pistor	...	Herr Meier
Suzanne von Borsody	...	Frau Jäger
Sebastian Schipper	...	Mike
Julia Lindig	...	Doris
Lars Rudolph	...	Herr Kruse
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Heino Ferch	...	Ronnie

Storyline

Lola receives a phone call from her boyfriend Manni. He lost 100,000 DM in a subway train that belongs to a very bad guy. Lola has 20 min to raise this amount and meet Manni. Otherwise, he will rob a store to get the money. Three different alternatives may happen depending on some minor event along Lola's run.

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Plot Keywords:

fate | running | race against the clock | repeated event | techno music | 

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Taglines:

(English translation: The difference between life or death can be decided in a split second.)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Germany

Language:

German English Japanese

Release Date:

18 June 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Run Lola Run

Filming Locations:

Mitte, Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$123,643, 18 June 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$7,267,585

Company Credits

Production Co:

X-Filme Creative Pool, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), Arte

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There are many spirals in the film (stair cases, bar behind phone booth etc). This is because director Tom Tykwer was a fan of 'Alfred Hitchcock''s Vertigo (1958).

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Goofs

When Lola is almost hit by the white delivery truck and she stands staring towards the casino, the birthmark near her lips is on the left side of her face. In all other shots it is on the right side of her face.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[subtitled version]
Narrator: Man... probably the most mysterious species on our planet. A mystery of unanswered questions. Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? How do we know what we think we know? Why do we believe anything at all? Countless questions in search of an answer... an answer that will give rise to a new question... and the next answer will give rise to the next question and so on. But, in the end, isn't it always the same question? And always the same answer?

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Crazy Credits

During the credits, a giant, red ENDE (German for end) crawls across the background, taking several minutes to pass.

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Alternate Versions

The DVD version has different English subtitles than showings on pay-cable stations. Most notably, the opening credits are not translated to english on the DVD version, and small phrases are not translated, such as when Lola goes through everyone she knows, trying to get the money. Only "Dad" is translated.

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Connections

Referenced in (500) Days of Summer (2009)

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Soundtracks

Wish
Vocals by Franka Potente / Thomas D (as Thomas D.)
Music by Tom Tykwer (as Tykwer) / Johnny Klimek (as Klimek) / Reinhold Heil (as Heil)
Lyrics by Tom Tykwer / Thomas D (as Thomas D.)
Performed by Franka Potente (as Franka Potenta) feat. Thomas D (as Thomas D.)

User Reviews

Innovative Film That''s Always Fun To Watch

This is one of the more inventive movies of the last decade, I would think. It was new, fresh and very different when it came out in the late '90s and still is unique and enjoyable as of this review in early 2006.

It's short - 81 minutes - but plenty long when you consider it's three versions of the same story, each version about 25 minutes after an opening introduction.

That may sound too repetitive or boring for those who haven't seen this, but it is anything but overplayed thanks to the innovative camera-work and interesting angles on the same story. Watching it on DVD was better than the theater because the 5.1 sound is superior, plus you have the option of a good dubbed version or the original German with English subtitles. I use either, depending on my mood but I lean toward the German with subtitles.

Franke Potente, who has since gone on to become better known around the world from the "Bourne" films, is the centerpiece of this film and very, very interesting. The looks of shock on her face, her flaming red hair and wild general appearance and the crazy things that happen to her are always fun to watch and hear.

Added to the unique cinematography, which includes tricks here and there, is a pulsating electronic soundtrack that brings added life to this already kinetic, involving film.

The high rating I give this film could really be summed up in two words: DIFFERENT and FUN.