Run Lola Run

I have NO IDEA why it took me so long to get around to seeing this movie (uuuhmmm, something to do with barely having time to sleep at nights, me thinks), but now that I have, I’m surprised to hear myself say that it actually does live up to the hype.

I love experimental films when they come out right and this one is just that. Not a typical flick by any means, this is like one long, cool techno music video, with plenty of slick camera shots (the director LOVES the crane, doesn’t he?), lots of bursts of speed, twists and turns, and most importantly, a story that you actually give a shite about?!?

Yup, even within all of the mayhem, the two main characters in this film are able to convey their love for one another, and even though the film is really more about its coolness/energy than anything, it was nice to have a heartfelt thread skewered through it.

The premise is also very interesting, although it’s basically a play on the plot of SLIDING DOORS, but this director takes it all to another level, adding fun situations (a daughter taking her own dad hostage?), clever montages (I really dug the way he fast-forwarded to everyone’s life in the future) and a booming soundtrack…zing-zing-zing!!

You also gotta love Franka Potente and that nifty little outfit that she has on during the entire film, with her hair bouncing up and down, up and down (apparently, it was an image of a woman running which inspired the director to make this movie). Mucho fun.

And at 75-minutes, that’s basically all this movie is: a lot of fun! It drives itself over the same road a couple of times, but does it with enough originality and flair, that you can’t help but keep chewing on those nachos, downing your Kahlua and hoping that Lola will jump straight out of those damn cartoons and into your life and lap!

RUN BABY RUN!!!! SCHNELL, SCHNELL…