Hyperkinetic adventure where the titular heroine (the charismatic Franka Potente) has just 20 minutes to find the equivalent of $60,000 in order to save her ne'er-do-well boyfriend's life from the gangsters he's indebted to. In a wonderful twist, the film gives Lola three chances to get it right.
Writer/director Tykwer – who also co-composed the film's catchy techno score (with Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek) – has made something that truly feels modern, with a candy-colored palette, usage of 35mm, rough video tape, and even animation. Yet even if his "three lives" concept is likely influenced by video games, his story is grounded by a thoughtful premise: that even the smallest decisions can radically alter our lives.
This charming approach to chaos theory drives the film's themes and fills it with clever details, and it's what makes Run Lola Run well worth repeated viewings. And Potente's hair is already the stuff of legend. The film's only 80 minutes long, so what can you lose?