Rating: 
Summary: At an Intersecton of Time and Being
Review: Tykwer's "Lola Rennt" artfully demonstrates the temporal placement of an ontological progression. Lola moves through time (twenty minutes) and in doing so calls attention to the arbitrary nature of the lives she passes. We are distanced from the characterizations (which are shallow and undeveloped at best) instead focusing on the nature of her running, and the points in which she comes to friction with the society she is running through.Lola is unkempt. She is garishly attired, with the stop sign red hair that marks the film, defying Hollywood as she trundles along the streets in each of the three segments. She is an atypical female character, tentatively called heroine because there is no way to articulate how she acts for the benefit of herself and her man, and callously moves the world through which she runs. Lola is at odds with the world that regards her through the eyes of complacent security guards and non-believing SWAT-ish teams. The film critiques the stereotypes of relationships and women through its interludes. The relationship between Lola and Manni thematizes the their gender roles, and it is of note in which run the movie is ended, and how it seemingly reaffirms the status quo. In summary, the film is immensely entertaining and services an articulation of a deeper understanding of time and space and the ways in which humans react within said partitioning of being.
Rating: 
Summary: Run Lola Run, a presentation of the atypical
Review: Run Lola Run, directed by Tom Tykwer, confronts stereotypes produced by Hollywood, with its unique graphic and audial representation as well as plot technique. Lola, our heroine, has 20 minutes to reach boyfriend Mani with a replacment for the money which he has been placed in charge of and lost. Lola is far from our average American female lead. Her hair is bright red, she's loud, and is imbued with superhuman powers. Not only is she able to sprint all-out for thirty minutes, she also is able to make it accross Berlin in this amount of time, and appears briefly as a cartoon character. Despite all this, in all of the scenarios, Lola never succeeds. Tykwer employs the use of three different senarios that play upon the butterfly effect and illustrate situations that Lola may or may not have experienced on her journey to Mani. The film is very contrary to stereotypes perpetuated by American cinema. Lola is everything but a heroine; she does not possess extraordinary beauty, has no control over her situation, and is unable to succeed in any area of her life it seems. She is unemployed (depicted by her low quality clothing) and so is her boyfriend Mani, apparently.
Tykwer's use of unusual graphic depiction (cartoons), techno ambience (created by the musical track, which does not allow the viewer to rest), and portrayal of Lola as the anti-heroine all create such an unrealistic combination as to contrast and expose the lack of reality in traditional female heroines and movies.
The original tital Lola Rennt (Lola Runs), was translated into Run Lola Run. Lola, who was originally running of her own volition, is now being told to run, presumably by Mani, a source of patriarchy in Lola's life. Lola runs to her father in the scenarios, requesting money from him. She represents the low class female, seeking help from the privileged, wealthy patriarchy. In one scenario, Lola dies, leaving Mani to gaze upon her devastated, unattractive body. Mani comments upon her appearance, leaving Lola once again in the role of the surveyed. In the final scenario, Lola comes to the rescue only to find that Mani has solved his problem, and that her help was unneccesary. Where before Lola has taken charge and responsibility, she is now powerless and useless, again in contrast to the heroine stereotype. The film closes with this thought and is emphasized by the shot of Mani and Lola interlocking hands. Lola is no longer seperate, equal, or powerful, and Mani does not need her.
Rating:
Summary: Run Lola Run a Review by A.McBride
Review: Run Lola Run A Review by Ashley McBride In this film, Lola is a very un-stereotypical heroine who undergoes three nearly identical episodes in which to save her lover Manny from his mob boss. The character of Lola critiques the Hollywood mainstream heroine in many ways. She is not a contrived Hollywood beauty. She has bright orange/red hair and punk clothing which offer a disassociative affect for the viewer, allowing them to critique the mainstream heroine and the priorities of Hollywood to alter her into a commodity rather than a true hero. She also has superhuman ability, first to alter outcomes (chaos theory) and second, to see into the future (snapshots). This also offers the viewer a chance to disassociate with her because she is unlike the viewer; though she seems real, is she? She is saving he. This is a main point because this allows the viewer to critique the "damsel in distress" role that females normally play. Lola takes control. This is prevalent especially when the exact translation of the German title is given "Lola Runs." This title more accurately portrays Lola in control-a genuine hero who is motivated to succeed so much so that she risks her life in three episodes/ tries. Lola remains a hero the whole way through the film, unlike most mainstream Hollywood heroines. Though she is unable to help Manny (because he ends up helping himself) she still gets there on time with the money retrieved (in a legitimate manner) in the last episode. She tried, tried again, and then succeeded-which makes her the hero of the story. The cinematic effects of camera angle, cartooning, and electronic weaving all serve to disassociate the viewer from the film, in order to step back and critique it. This film is fun because it challenges society to co-produce instead of just take in a film. Lola is objectified throughout the film, but not in a Hollywood manner. She is usually shown as an entire woman-not as fragments of one (Lola is not a breast, a leg, etc.). Lola is the object of the panoptical gaze, but is unaffected in her cause. She runs not because she is told to and is being watched to ensure that she does, but runs because she wills herself to do so, and takes no care in anyone watching. This is proven when she robs a bank (laws do not matter) and goes into the casino with casual clothes (appearances do not matter). Thus Lola breaks the objectification by the panopticon set by institutions because she could care less that they exist. Even when her father tells her she does not look good she is unaffected in her cause and ignores the comment. This is just another way Lola as a hero breaks Hollywood mainstream heroines who care very much in rules and appearances and therefore are affected by the way in which they are being watched. Lola Runs!
Rating:
Summary: great film, critiques hollywood movies
Review: Run Lola Run is a critique of the stereotypical heroine in Hollywood films. Lola doesn't wear a special costume; she doesn't dress up so she doesn't have the physical appearance of a typical Hollywood heroine. Hero is a more fitting title to give her because she appears tough, and "rough-around-the-edges". Lola is also a hero because she takes action. She doesn't stop to think about what to do she just drops the phone and moves. She fits this description of a hero throughout the film until the end when this role is stripped from her to comment on how Hollywood seldom, if ever, allows a woman to be a hero if there is a male available to play that role (i.e. Manni). She loses her title of hero because even though she managed to get the money needed to save manni's life, he beat her to it and manages to save himself.
Throughout the movie, Lola has the power in the relationship. Manni is dependent on her, and because of this she is not objectified. She gets this power because she takes an active role in trying to get the money needed to save Manni's life. She takes action therefore she has power. By the end of the movie, after her hero status is stripped from her, she becomes objectified by the lyrics in the song on the soundtrack. It is a male voice saying, " I don't need you". This is referring to how there relationship has changed now. Since Manni restored order, all is back to "normal," and therefore he gained all the power back from Lola. He is no longer dependent on her. The movie ends with a close-up of them holding hands, commenting on a typical "happily ever after" Hollywood ending.
Rating:
Summary: Time is money
Review: The main formula for Run Lola Run is "Time is Money." Time is arbitrary in the same way that space is- it means nothing if you don't put anything in it. In this film, the viewers are confronted with a "heroine" that when not satisfied with the outcome, chooses to "do-over" her life, or only 20 minutes of her life. Lola is not the typical Hollywood heroin, always looking prim and proper; she gives off the more realistic side when confronted with an intense situation. Lola shows that the smallest decision can change everything from then on. Throughout the film, she takes on the so-called masculine role and takes action rather than crying and waiting for someone else to take charge. But when those 20 minutes are up, it seems as though her female lead crumbles and she once again takes the feminine role in the relationship. It seems questionable that her heroic attributes are only due to the framing and digital weaving of the film rather than the actual character. Overall, it was interesting to see a different side of femininity and the effects in which it had on the viewers.
Rating:
Summary: The Double Nature of Run Lola Run
Review: In Tom Tykwer's film, Run Lola Run, we are confronted with a main character that struggles to find her place between the two distinctions of feminist and feminine. The film, which is segmented into three different scenarios, starts off by portraying Lola as a female hero. She breaks the stereotypes, and does not reflect the Hollywood ideal of a female heroine. Her clothes are ragged, her hair is a mess, and worst of all, she does not glisten but actually sweats. The Hollywood heroine, on the other hand, would be wearing high heels in all of the fight scenes, never break a sweat, and always be sexy and perfectly put together. The cinematic gaze, as refered to by film theorist, John Berger, depicts her as a super human action hero. She can see the future, run far distances in almost no time, and she has the power to change certain events in time. The cinematic gaze is usually used to objectify women. In Run Lola Run, however, it is used to set Lola apart, and show what a woman can be capable of. Tykwer's progressive feminist representation of Lola falls prey to stereotypical femininity in the last scenario. Mani, her small time crook of a boyfriend, whose life she is trying to save, comes through in the clutch. He does not even think of what Lola has gone through in an attempt to help him. Tywker ends the film with the man saving the day. This strays from his critique of "the Hollywood heroine" that had been a blaring message in the first two scenarios. All of Lola's efforts have been trivialized and she is shown as powerless and speechless. Mani acts as if he had the entire situation under control the entire time, and reduces Lola's role to that of merely a supportive and concerned girlfriend. The film ends with a segmented shot of Mani and Lola's interlocked hands. This is a perfect example of Foucault's idea of the micro physics of power. Ingeborg Majer O'Sickey includes this idea in her discussion of Barbie Magazine. It refers to the manner in which a body can be fragmented into discrete parts in order to display power. In this last scene in Run Lola Run, the fragmented shot of their clasped hands, turns Lola into a powerless and submissive girlfriend. She no longer is able to be defined independently. Mani does not need her, he simply has her a a trophy to be displayed. This movie shows us that as far as we think we are progressing as an equal society whith women who are respected, we have a lot of work to do.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best foreign films!
Review: "Run Lola Run" is a magnificent movie set in modern day Germany. It is easily one of the best foreign films I have ever seen. It is entertaining and thoughtful and constantly keeps you visually engaged.
Lola's boyfriend, Manni, has lost 100,000 marks that he was ordered to deliver to his boss (an unforgiving gangster) in 20 minutes. If the money is not recovered and delivered within the time allotted, Manni will suffer a terrible fate. He desperately asks Lola for help in this race against time. She jumps around from one disaster to another desperately trying to help. We see three different scenarios of Lola running to save her boyfriend giving us a play on the chaos effect. Tiny details in Lola's quest for the money ultimately change the result of the situation. As things change so do their fates, momentarily touched by her presence running by. The film is a visual display of Tykwer's collaboration of camera, music, and story creating a display of cinematic emotion.
The film illustrates a very different kind of female role that strays from the stereotypical portrayal of women. Lola takes on more of a male role as she desperately tries to be the hero in this situation. Her boyfriend is the one who seems incapable and asks for her help. The gender roles are essentially flipped and the stereotypes disappear from the female gender as we see classic beauty and attitude disappear as Lola runs through Germany. But surprisingly, at the end of the story, the female role is present and given to Lola as we see that Manni did not need her after all. They walk away together with Lola being the dependant female pretending that the chaotic journey never happened.
Rating:
Summary: Lola runs against time, with lots of consequences
Review: The beginning of Run Lola Run has a narrator stating how countless questions result in answers which in turn gives rise to other questions, and so on, in a chain of answers followed by questions. "But in the end, isn't it always the same question, and always the same answer?" The main question might be, will anything I do differently have any consequences? Or why did this happen? Lola's boyfriend Manni has just botched a drug deal, losing 100,000 marks. He has to turn over the money to his connection, a nasty and forbidding bald guy, who will kill him in twenty minutes if he doesn't deliver the goods. Lola, calm, usually on time, and loyal as ever, does what she can to help out her man, who increasingly desperate as time runs out, considers holding up the local supermarket to get the money. She's running a race against time, encountering all sorts of people, including a bicycle courier, a Mr. Meyer who's a colleague of her father, and her father, a humorless, ice-in-his-veins banker who's carrying on with one of his female colleagues, who is pregnant. This portrays three different scenarios of Lola running to save Manni, and demonstrates how one small action or variation can have enormous consequences on other people. An example is the blonde woman walking with the baby carriage. Each time she responds differently to Lola dashing by her. We then see in a series of quick still photo montages what would later happen to her. In one version, she ends up injured from an attack; in another, she ends up winning the lottery. Another is how long the conversation between Lola's father and his lover has progressed before Lola bursts in on them, asking her father for money. Each time, the outcome is different, affecting her father's attitude to her and what Lola does. Another interesting aspect is Lola's piercing glass-shattering scream, which becomes the emanation of her desperation, whether it to be telling her boyfriend to shut up so he can calm down, or her anger at her father refusing to help her. Franka Potente's Lola really lifts the film up, her bright vermilion hair, cyan tank top, and blue jeans nearly mirroring the primary colours of light. She gives credibility in a character who is so much more with it than her boyfriend, whose over-reliance on her makes him incompetent, pathetic, and lacking direction. Director Tom Tykwer must have been influenced by music videos as the swift jump cuts in scenes, nothing that requires a bottle of Dramamine by the TV set, mind you, as the pulsing techno score, matching Lola's frantic running, attest to. An interesting piece of cinema from Germany, great in style and structure.
Rating:
Summary: Run Lola Run
Review: Run Lola Run is an interesting film about a girl and her boyfriend and their struggles to survive the most grueling twenty minutes of their lives. Manni, the boyfriend, somehow forgot 100,000 marks on a subway train and is in a lot of trouble unless Lola shows up with 100,000 marks to pay off the men Manni was supposed to meet. The movie plot is based around the chaos effect, which is the idea that every action one makes effects the lives of everyone else. The twenty minutes is shown in 3 different ways because each time it is restarted, Lola takes different paths in order to get Manni the money that he needs to stay alive.
In a way, Lola is a panopticon during her struggle to find Manni's money. Manni is always watching over Lola, making sure that she gets to him on time. Lola knows this and will take any measure possible in order to get the 100,000 marks to Manni on time. Whether she has to lie, cheat, or steal, she will get the money. She acts under pressure and runs everywhere she goes just to keep Manni safe. Manni is depending on Lola to be the hero of the day and show up with what he needs.
Lola plays the role of the strong independent woman during the movie. Manni is helplessly waiting for Lola to show up with the money. Lola shows her strengths by not being afraid to do anything in order to save the day. She'll rob her father's bank, she'll help rob a grocery store, and she'll take big risks in a casino just to save Manni. The story is played out three times in three different ways because of the chaos factor. Sadly, the movie ends with Manni saving himself because he finds the money himself. Lola is once again the stereotypical dependent woman. She struggles so much to get Manni the money he needs, but it turns out that he never needed her help at all. She accepts this fact and walks off with him as if nothing happened to her during the 20 minute struggle.
Rating:
Summary: Great.
Review: Phone call from her boyfriend - he needs 100,000 marks in 20 minutes (because he lost it). They argue, but bottom line, she's going to help him. From the second Lola throws down the phone the clock is ticking.
The theory of this movie seems to be based on that everything we do (or don't do), every action effects someone. For good or bad. If she's a minute later - 30 seconds earlier - whatever - there is a different outcome. People that she runs into on the street - a pause in their actions... it changes their fate.
She goes thru the day 3x. Different days for everyone.
The way it's shot is somewhat different and reminds me vaguely of QTarantino's Kill Bill flicks. Just the openness of it - structually - not so much the dialogue.
All in all a good movie.
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