Product: Run, Lola, Run [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Lola runs--favorite of beginning German students...
and more advanced ones, too.ACTION: Lola must run across Berlin in 20 minutes to get to her boyfriend, Manni, and save him from being killed by Ronnie, to whom Manni owes 100,000 DM. "Lola rennt" literally means, "Lola runs". Not, "Run, Lola, Run." Unlike young Forest Gump, no one tells Lola to run. And, unlike Forest Gump, she does not run to save her on skin from bullies. Lola's own gumption tells her to run--which she does in order to save the man she loves, and at considerable risk to herself. RENNT--a verb meaning "runs", also translates as "races". She races because she is determined that she can do the impossible. Lola--with her orange hair, green pants and blue top--is one spunky-punky girl.DIALOGUE: sparse, but significant and quotable. My university freshman German students love to repeat, "Die Tasche!" "Die Tasche!"; the simple phrase which Lola and Manni exclaim to each other when they notice that the "money bag" is missing. Earlier, in the red-tinted bedroom scene, Lola poses the important question, "do you love me?"; and Manni poses the bizzare but pivital question, "what would you do if I died?" Lola's race through Berlin proves HER love. LOLA RENNT, continually surprising us with possiblities multiple race-scenarios asks the question "WHAT IF?"